NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 12 - Japanese car maker Honda has now re-entered the Kenyan market with the establishment of a dealership, as part of its expansion plan into sub-Saharan Africa.
After a seven-year hiatus from the region, Honda East Africa will open the new dealership on Mombasa Road that already hosts several other car dealerships.
The facility is already undergoing a comprehensive upgrade and will be operated in partnership with TransAfrica Motors (TAM), a Dubai-based industrial conglomerate.
TAM has a wide range of interests, including four commercial vehicle dealerships in Kenya and will run the Honda dealership as a separate division within the company.
The new facility will offer customers access to a wide range of Honda vehicles, including the soon-to-be-launched Brio entry-level compact hatchback, the new-generation Honda CR-V, and Accord sedan.
Honda Motor Southern Africa (HSAF), based in Johannesburg, South Africa, will provide support for the new venture as far as product and parts supply, staff training and operating systems are concerned.
This will allow the facility to combine its new-car sales with a full service and parts offering to support existing Honda owners in Kenya.
“We are delighted to bring Honda cars back to Kenya after such a long absence. Our return to Kenya is an important step in our strategy of expansion, which has already seen the opening of our Honda East Africa representative office in Nairobi,” Graham Eagle, HSAF director of sales and marketing said.
Recruiting of staff for the new dealership has already begun, with the official opening expected in the first quarter of 2013.
Other Japanese automobile firms in Kenya are Toyota which recently upgraded its facilities and opened new locations within the city, Nissan run by DT Dobie and Mazda’s run by CMC Motors.
