This archive report was first published on 22 May 2020.
Kenya's car sales have taken a hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with a significant decline in sales recorded in April.
According to recent data, 594 units of motor vehicles were sold in Kenya in April, down from the 846 sold in March, marking a 29.8% decrease.
Isuzu, the market leader in terms of total sales, traded off 179 units last month, a 52% reduction from the 373 they sold in March.
Toyota came second in sales, selling 176 units, while Mercedes Benz sales almost doubled, from 8 units to 14 in a month.
Andrew Omolo, General Manager Sales, Marketing and Logistics at Toyota Kenya, attributed the decline in sales to the pandemic, stating that people have been forced to cut on their spending due to the pandemic, and the shockwaves have hit the industry hard.
“Although we have experienced a decline in sales mostly attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic effects, the decline in sales is also attributed to customers putting off their purchasing decisions especially in certain sectors like public transport and tourism,” Omolo said.
Charles Kariuki, Director Finance, and Strategy, Isuzu East Africa, also weighed in on the situation, stating that the company expects a general slowing down of customer orders as economic activities are disrupted across the country, and this will have a direct impact on production levels.
“We expect a general slowing down of customer orders as economic activities are disrupted across the country, and this will have a direct impact on production levels,” Kariuki said.
