French automaker, Peugeot, to open assembly plant in Kenya

French auto manufacturer, Peugeot, officially returns to Kenya to begin the assembling of its vehicles, President Uhuru Kenyatta disclosed on Saturday.

The Peugeot Group will team up with Urysia, a local agent for the brand, to assemble its vehicles in the country. This was contained in an assembly licence agreement signed by both parties at the presidency.

The president said he was happy by the momentum that Kenya was driving with respect to the motor vehicle sector. “The investment signed today by the Peugeot Group to locally assemble motor vehicles in our country at a plant which will be announced in due course is most welcome,” he said.

Peugeot becomes the second major auto maker to open an assembly plant in the country after German car maker Volkswagen late last year opened the Thika plant to assemble vehicles locally.

The president whiles lauding the initiative also emphasized that his government will continue to enforce policies that create jobs and also protect Kenyan businesses.

“My government will continue to enforce the Buy Kenya Build Kenya policy to support companies and businesses that produce in Kenya. We hope to see many Peugeot cars on our roads going forward – all of them built right here in Kenya, by Kenyans, for Kenyans and the region,” he added.

At the same event, the government signed a $180 million agreement with the French government to build the Ruiru II Dam and water supply project, as part of a long term mutual relationship between the two countries.