The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) participated in the inaugural presentation of the draft National Electric Mobility Policy, an initiative spearheaded by the Ministry of Transport's E-Mobility Taskforce. The event took place at the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC) on March 27, 2024.

Kenya's transport sector is predominantly dependent on fossil fuels, and the national e-mobility policy emerges as a strategic framework to fulfill the nation's pledge—under the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015—to curtail emissions by 32% by 2030.

The e-mobility policy's core objective is to forge a transition to a transportation system that is not only sustainable and efficient but also equitable. The draft policy integrates insights from over 500 global policies to invigorate the domain of green transportation. The Kenyan government has been instrumental in implementing requisite policy reforms to catalyze the adoption of e-mobility solutions. This includes the execution of the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) for the periods 2018- 2022 and 2023-2027, the diminution of excise duty on electric vehicles, and the establishment of the Climate Change Act of 2016 and the Energy Act of 2019. A testament to these efforts is the notable increase in electric buses—from a mere three in 2016 to twenty-two in 2023.

Ms. Carole Kariuki, the CEO of KEPSA, underscored the immense potential within the e-mobility sector in her address. She cited that the electric vehicle market was appraised at USD 388.1 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to burgeon to USD 951.9 billion by 2030, advancing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.7%. The advent of the e-mobility policy, according to Ms. Kariuki, is set to propel the transport sector into a future marked by greener and more efficient systems, aligning with the global aspiration to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. In her concluding remarks, Ms. Kariuki urged the nation to embrace the burgeoning opportunities within the e-mobility landscape, emphasizing the policy's role in steering the country towards a more sustainable future.

The Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry, Ms. Rebecca Miano, noted an urgent need to reduce dependency on fossil fuel towards industrialization. She lauded the draft policy pointing out that it would be an effective tool towards attracting investments. To complement the efforts of the Ministry of Transport towards local manufacturing of EV vehicles, the MITI launched the automotive policy and gazetted the spare parts that could be manufactured locally for the EV vehicles.

In his keynote speech, the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Transport and Roads, Honourable Kipchumba Murkomen, underscored the importance of public awareness and the support of local manufacturing as fundamental to the successful adoption of the e-mobility policy. He highlighted that the policy is pivotal in diminishing the projected greenhouse gas emissions from the anticipated 17% to more manageable levels. Honourable Murkomen pledged to leverage modern technology, including instant fines and highway cameras, to enhance the efficiency of public transport systems. In closing, he invited public engagement in refining the draft E-mobility policy, aiming to establish a progressive and adaptable framework that will maintain Kenya's leadership in climate change initiatives.

The draft policy can be accessed here