The Birth of Vehicle Importation in Kenya

By Timothy Keli– Director, Mobility Services-AA Kenya

Imagine Kenya without cars. A vast untamed land where the only way to travel was on foot, or train.

Well, this was the reality before the Royal East Africa Automobile Association, now AA Kenya or as commonly referred to as ‘AA’ stepped in.

It all started with a vision. Lionel Douglas Galton Fenzi, a man with a passion for motoring, wanted to see how cars would handle the tough East African conditions. But Fenzi’s ambitions went beyond just importing a car. In 1919, he founded the Royal East Africa Automobile Association (now AA Kenya). The goal was simple; to make life easier for car owners. From buying and fixing cars to insurance and roadside assistance.

But there were no cars yet. So in 1923, Galton Fenzi imported the first car into Kenya – a sleek Riley 12/50 Touring. This was a groundbreaking moment, the start of a journey that would change the face of Kenyan transportation.

This audacious endeavor was fraught with challenges, from navigating complex import processes to finding suitable infrastructure for the vehicle. However, AA Kenya’s determination to bring modern transportation to Kenya paved the way for future car imports and the subsequent growth of the automotive industry.

The car was here, okay. But on what road would it operate on? Roads were almost non-existent. What about fuel? With no petrol stations, how did they get fuel?

Roads

At the time, the only connection between Nairobi and Mombasa was either by train or by walking alongside the Mutisos (long-distance traders) There were no roads.

AA came in and created a route plan to Mombasa that stretched to over 1200 km, as antagonistic to the other fact that today, the highway stands at about 500 km. So where did the extra 700 km come from?

Fuel

If there were no cars then definitely no petrol stations either right? So how did they fuel their vehicles?

The first petrol station was more like a backyard operation, all the way at the Namanga outpost. Fuel was sold in drums from the seller’s backyard.

The constant breach of privacy compelled both the seller and buyer to find an alternative meeting point away from the seller’s house. So this involved a seller carrying a lot of fuel in drums to the meeting point and a buyer carrying money and empty drums to stock up as much fuel as they could in order to last long before the next visit.

The convenience and luxury of just driving into the next petrol station was unheard of.

This meeting point became the basis for setting up the first petrol station in the country.

Beyond roads and fuel, AA also launched:

• A motoring magazine  Autonews in 1953 to share car knowledge, and motoring hacks and enable people to understand their vehicles more and this is why you are getting this information today because you are reading it.

• The first driving school in the country was in 1962, which has greatly contributed to teaching people how to drive as it still does today.

By the 60s, AA was more than just a club; it was a driving force in Kenya’s transport world.

AA today

Today, AA Kenya has evolved into a comprehensive mobility solutions provider. From driver training and vehicle inspection to road safety advocacy and technical expertise, AA continues to shape the way Kenyans move. While the automotive industry has undergone a remarkable transformation since the arrival of that first Riley 12/50 Touring, AA Kenya’s commitment to serving motorists remains unwavering.

AA Kenya is the leading mobility solutions provider in Kenya providing mobility solutions including driver training programs, vehicle inspection and valuation, technical training on defensive driving, guidance on vehicle running costs through mileage rates, insurance brokerage, and issuance of internal driving licenses and car passports, among other mobility offerings, A member of the FIA the world motoring body that represents over 100 million motorists and their families.

And you can import your car with AA today through AA Automart- AA Automart