Heavy equipment dealers in Kenya

The equipment market in Kenya

Kenya is East Africa's main equipment hub. Many dealers in Nairobi and Mombasa also serve Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and eastern DR Congo, which bring in most of their goods through the port of Mombasa.

Construction drives most demand: roads, the government's affordable housing programme, and quarrying of stone and sand for building. Excavators, wheel loaders, dump trucks and motor graders are the most common machines, and counties buy graders steadily for road maintenance.

Farming is a large market for tractors and implements. Used machines imported from the Gulf and Asia compete strongly with new equipment on price, so dealer parts and service support is a key reason to buy locally.

Importing and registering equipment in Kenya

1. Ports and inland depots

   Mombasa is the main port. Heavy cargo often continues by the Standard Gauge Railway to the inland container depots at Nairobi and Naivasha. Lamu is a second, newer port.

2. Certificate before shipping

   Most imports need a Certificate of Conformity issued before shipment under the KEBS PVoC programme (Pre-Export Verification of Conformity).

3. Used equipment

   Used goods, including used mobile equipment, must be inspected and tested before shipment. Without a certificate they are inspected at the port instead, which adds cost and delay.

4. Customs

   Clearance is through KRA (Kenya Revenue Authority).

5. Registering for road use

   Machines used on public roads are registered with NTSA (National Transport and Safety Authority), usually through eCitizen once duty is paid. Tractors and heavy machinery get their own plate series (KTC and KHM).