The United Kingdom has opposed Kenya’s proposed ban on second-hand imports of buses and trucks, which may cut the export of used commercial vehicles from the European nation, Business Daily newspaper reported.

The UK authorities are “uncomfortable” with the sanction on used vehicles, which was set to take effect from July 1 before being put on hold by the court, Kenya’s Industrialisation and Trade Cabinet Secretary, Betty Maina, told the news daily.

She added that the Kenya-United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Council will handle the protest.

The council comprises ministerial representatives from both countries tasked with ensuring smooth implementation of the trade deal, which came into force in March 2021, including ironing out trade disputes.

Kenya and Britain inked a new trade deal in December 2020, allowing duty-free access of Kenyan goods to the UK market.

In April, the Kenya Bureau of Standards issued a notice freezing importation of used vehicles more than seven metres in length from July 2022.

The UK predominantly manufactures Leyland trucks, but many second-hand Ford and Fiat prime mover trucks and Caterpillar construction and mining equipment are shipped into Kenya from the UK.

Although Maina did not specify the UK’s concerns, she said the issue was still at the technical stage and yet to be escalated to the ministerial level, the newspaper reported. 

(Editing by Seban Scaria seban.scaria@lseg.com )