Africa-Press – Kenya. Second-hand vehicle importers are up in arms against plans to introduce a mandatory general fumigation rule of all imported passenger vehicles, citing high costs and use of a hazardous fumigant.
The move, dealers say will lead to higher import costs which is a trade barrier, while exposing port workers and end-consumers to hazardous fumes from the proposed fumigant.
According to the Car Importers Association of Kenya (CIAK), the government should adopt a risk-based inspection framework which protects the environment and public health, while ensuring the importation process remains efficient and compliant with international trade law.
The cost to fumigate a car before importation varies by country and service provider, but a general price range for the service is between Sh4,000 and Sh15,000 in Kenya, depending on the type of vehicles.
Specific international pre-shipment fumigation (which might be required by the destination country) could however cost more, with some importers reporting fees of around $1,500 (Sh193,500).
Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) pest inspection and decontamination fees, aimed at preventing the introduction of foreign pests, had initially been proposed at Sh2,000 for passenger cars, Sh3,000 for vans or mini buses, Sh5,000 for buses and trucks, while heavy machinery attract a fee of up to Sh10,000 per unit, fees expected to be revised upwards.
CIAK however said the proposal lacks international precedent and World Trade Orgainisation (WTO) compliance.
“Current international standards, including ISPM 41 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures), maintain a clear distinction between “High-Risk” heavy machinery and “Low-Risk” passenger vehicles,” CIAK national chairman, Peter Otieno, told the Star.
He noted that leading economies-including the EU, USA and Japan-do not mandate fumigation for private cars.
Such requirements are strictly reserved for equipment used in agriculture, forestry or military operations, where the presence of soil and organic debris is guaranteed.
Biosecurity leaders like Australia on the other hand utilise a risk-based approach, mandating treatment only for specific seasonal threats.
“Implementing a blanket fumigation requirement for low-risk vehicles constitutes an unnecessary technical barrier to trade under WTO principles, potentially leading to increased costs and shipment delays without a proportional biosecurity benefit,” Otieno said.
The proposed use of Methyl Bromide as a primary fumigant also presents significant liabilities, he noted, saying it is classified as a Class I Ozone Depleting Substance (chemicals with a high ozone depletion potential which have been widely phased out), and is a documented potent neurotoxin.
CIAK says the proposal to ship vehicles within a 120-hour window after treatment creates a severe safety hazard where toxic residues can remain trapped within vehicle upholstery, carpets and air conditioning ducts, exposing port workers and end-consumers to hazardous fumes.
“Forcing the handling of recently fumigated enclosed cabins places inspectors and clearing agents at an avoidable risk of respiratory and neurological distress, said Otieno.
The association has since proposed a two-tier approach of high-risk machinery and private passenger vehicles.
For high-risk machinery, it proposes mandatory steam cleaning to be the primary biosecurity requirement for agricultural, construction and military vehicles to remove soil-borne contaminants.
These should be subject to rigorous physical inspection and fumigation should only be mandated as a secondary measure if a specific pest or contamination is detected during the inspection process.
Private passenger vehicles on the other hand should be subjected to rigorous physical inspection with fumigation only coming as a secondary measure if a specific pest or contamination is detected during the inspection process.
Kenya imports an average 7,000-9,000 units a month, mainly from Japan (80 per cent), United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Singapore and South Africa.
These units dominate the local market and roads (80%) with buyers in this segment spending an estimated Sh60 billion annually on the units.
Prices range from as low as Sh500,000 to an average Sh2.5 million, which is the average starting price mark for new cars.
