This archive report was first published on 25 August 2020.
On August 25, 2020, Proton Holdings Bhd, Malaysia's national automotive corporation, marked its entry into the Kenyan market with the arrival of its flagship automobile, the Proton Saga.
The first batch of 30 Completely Knocked Down kits was flagged off by Kenya's High Commissioner to Malaysia, Francis Ndegwa Muhoro, who emphasized the significance of Kenya's international economic diplomacy agenda and encouraged further Malaysian investment in the country.
According to Muhoro, Proton's entry into Kenya is not just a market of 51 million people, but also a gateway to a potential African market of up to 1.3 billion people.
Kenya's potential as an East African automotive hub, underpinned by a sizeable middle class, progressive business environment, regional market access, and history of automotive assembly, was highlighted by the envoy.
Proton Deputy CEO Datuk Radzaif Mohamed stated that the move would see the company's products in places as diverse as Bangkok, Islamabad, Cairo, and now, Nairobi.
The Proton Saga, first conceptualized as Malaysia's "national car" in 1979, is today viewed as a "national symbol". It is an acronym for "Safety, Achievement, Greatness, and Ability" and is Proton's longest-running and best-selling nameplate.
