Ruto Signs Deal for KSh388 Billion Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Project

President William Ruto has announced a proposed $3 billion (Ksh388.2 billion) investment to establish a nationwide electric vehicle manufacturing and green mobility ecosystem in Kenya.

Speaking on Tuesday, October 6, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Kenya and Endelevu Enterprise Corporation, President Ruto stated that the partnership will reduce the country’s reliance on imported vehicles and fuel while boosting local employment.

“For decades, Kenya has imported the fuel that runs our vehicles and the vehicles that burn that fuel. We have paid for both in hard currency. And with every shipment, we have exported jobs that should have been created here. We are determined to change that equation,” Ruto said.

The agreement sets up a framework for what is expected to be one of the largest regional electric mobility investments.

“This Memorandum establishes a framework for an integrated green mobility ecosystem, with a proposed investment of $3 billion. It is one of the largest electric mobility commitments in our region,” Ruto said.

Local Manufacturing and Charging Infrastructure

The proposed mega-project features two major assembly plants and widespread infrastructure rollout:

• Four-Wheel Vehicle Plant: An assembly facility capable of producing 50,000 electric vehicles annually.

• Two-Wheel & Light-Mobility Plant: A dedicated facility with an annual capacity of 100,000 electric motorcycles and light vehicles.

• Charging Network: The establishment of 1,000 solar-powered charging hubs nationwide.

• Digital Ecosystem: A digital management platform designed to manage and monitor up to 100,000 green vehicles.

Job Creation and Economic Impact

President Ruto outlined the broad employment benefits expected across assembly, supply chain, and service sectors.

“Behind these numbers are people. The project is expected to create about 2,000 direct jobs and more than 20,000 indirect jobs among suppliers, logistics firms, and service providers,” he stated.

He added that expanded operations will create even broader career avenues:

“It is also expected to create up to 80,000 further opportunities in fleet management, operations, and services. That is a young technician on an assembly line. It is a boda boda rider who keeps more of what he earns each day. It is a Kenyan engineer who designs what we once could only import,” he stated.

Serving the Broader African Market

The president highlighted Kenya’s goal to become a regional manufacturing hub rather than relying solely on domestic consumption. Pointing to partners from Endelevu and Geely, he noted that vehicles built in Kenya under East African Community (EAC) Rules of Origin will gain access to a market of hundreds of millions of people.

“To our partners from Endelevu and Geely, our ambition goes beyond Kenya. We do not want to assemble for one market. We want to manufacture for East Africa and for Africa,” Ruto noted. “This is the industrial future we are building through the National Electric Mobility Policy and the National Automotive Bill now before Parliament.”

Highlighting expectations for local technology transfer and SME contracts, President Ruto instructed the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry, via Invest Kenya, to provide end-to-end support for fast-tracking necessary land, infrastructure, and regulatory approvals.

“A signature does not build a factory. I therefore direct the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry, through Invest Kenya, to provide end-to-end facilitation to Endelevu,” he directed.

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