NAIROBI: The number of vehicles registered in 2014 was 4,121 units less than the previous year, latest data show, largely dragged down by fewer motorcycles, trailers and saloon cars.
The department in charge of vehicle registration at the Kenya Revenue Authority, which has since been transferred to the National Transport Safety Authority, recorded 218,057 fresh registrations, from 222,178 units in 2013.
These include brand new vehicles and second-hand imports.
In absolute numbers, the biggest decline in new registration was recorded in motorcycles, down by 13,934 units in the year. The 11.1 per cent decline indicates waning demand for the two-wheelers that have become popular for remote transport usually operating as boda bodas.
By percentage, trailers, used for long distance cargo transport, recorded the biggest drop at 26.4 per cent less than the previous year. Only 2,925 trailers were newly registered in 2014 compared to 3,937 units a year earlier.
Saloon cars registration declined by 441 units to 15,902, while minibuses were down 9.4 per cent to 213 units in 2014.
Vehicle models categorised as “others” recorded the biggest increase in new registration, jumping by 74.6 per cent to 2,533 units in the year.
The number of three-wheelers increased significantly, up 39.5 per cent to 4,327 units, indicating that buyers in the transport industry were shifting from boda bodas to tuktuks, which have a higher passenger capacity.
According to Car & General, which deals in the TVS motorcycle brand and tuktuks, unit sales have dropped due to competition from three-wheelers.
“People now want more value for money and that is why they prefer to buy three-wheelers more than motorcycles. Our customers have realised that they can make more money because the models are spacious, and passengers prefer them for safety,” Caroline Otike, a customer care adviser at C&G, told the Star recently.
In real terms, station wagon models registered the highest increase with 4,880 units more than the previous year, totalling 53,542. Vans and pick-ups registration increased by 28 per cent to 12,568 units in 2014.
The decline in fresh vehicle registration comes just as local assemblers were on course for their best year ever, with a total of 8,660 units put together by end of November. This is already far higher than full year numbers over the last half a decade.
Sale of new vehicles also registered growth, rising by 22.1 per cent to 17,296 units, from 14,168 units in 2013, according to data from the Kenya Motor Industry Association sourced from its members.
