Used Cars Importers to Pay Pest Inspection Fee

In efforts to curb the entry of foreign pests into Kenya, the government has introduced the pest inspection fee for all used cars imported into the country.

Importers could soon start paying the inspection fee of Sh. 2,000 for each car, Ksh 3000 for a van or minibus and Ksh 5000 for a lorry, bus or truck. The heavy commercial machinery will pay Ksh 10,000.

The plan introduced by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) in 2017 had proposed a charge of Ksh 5,000 for each Motor Vehicle,  which has been revised downwards to the current fee.

According to the agency, used vehicles present a major threat of introducing foreign pests and diseases thus the publication of new regulations.

“The plant protection (Decontamination of Used Vehicles and Machinery and Equipment) Rules 2021 were developed to provide a legal framework for mitigation of risks associated with this pathway,” Kephis managing director Theophilus Mutui wrote to importers of used vehicles on May 6.

Kephis has invited importers to give their views on Thursday via a virtual meeting. The dealers are opposed to the inspection fee idea and want Kephis to demonstrate the level of threat imposed by used vehicles.

According to the secretary-general of the Kenya Auto Bazaar Association, Charles Munyori, Kephis needs to show evidence of the threats they are describing.

“We want to see the statistics they are relying on to introduce the regulations and set the fees. Hundreds of thousands of used cars have been imported to the country and we have seen no danger.”

He added that the proposed rules should not discriminate against the importation of used vehicles, arguing that pests can be introduced into the country through the shipment of many other goods.

Kephis is expected to accredit companies that will inspect the cars. The proposed rules have set a penalty of Ksh 2 million or a jail term not exceeding two years or both for offenders.

By Lillian Waeni