By Macharia Kamau

Counterfeit spare parts can have fatal results  for users and also prove costly to the economy

Kenya Motor Repairers Association (Kemra) wants the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) to tighten controls on imports of spare parts to reduce the amounts of counterfeits and faulty parts imported into the country.

The lobby for local garage owners said the bureau should also design regulations that limit the age of used spare parts being imported into the country to a maximum eight years, to correspond with the eight year rule on used car imports.

Kemra Chairman Bernard Ngore noted that faulty used parts are finding their way into the Kenyan market at an alarming rate, putting thousands of motorists at risk.

He said one way of reducing this was to put an age limit on the spare parts imported to the country.

“Since there is a requirement that vehicles being imported into the country should not be more than eight years old, then there should also be a corresponding stipulation that used parts being imported into the country should be from dismantled vehicles not more than eight years old,” he said. He spoke at a seminar for its members held in partnership with Kebs.

garage owners

John Wepukhulu, chief manager in charge of Quality Assurance and Inspection at Kebs, noted that the standards body had made efforts in enforcing standards and anti counterfeit laws but also said there were challenges.

Mr Ngore also asked Kebs to help crack the whip on rogue garage owners by instituting a code of practice that all mechanics should adhere to.

He said quacks and non-professionals that have been fleecing motorists have infiltrated the industry.He said the infiltration is also costly to the economy and have damaged the credibility of an industry that employs tens of thousands and plays a direct role in keeping the Kenyan economy on the move.

Ngore said standards at the workplace improve quality of workmanship and consequently satisfaction of customers.

Through standards, Kemra should be in a position to dignify the automotive repair industry by building on its reputation, correcting misconceptions and proving wrong critics of this industry,” he said.

Ngore noted that local garages could become world-beaters by refining quality of services on the basis of standards.