Kenya's motorcycle boom puts skilled mechanics in demand

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Kenya's motorcycle industry is adapting to electric mobility, creating new technical demands for mechanics as riders, businesses and manufacturers embrace changes in how two-wheelers are powered on Kenyan roads.

Motorcycles have become an important part of the country's commercial transport network, serving boda boda operators, delivery businesses and traders moving goods between markets and customers.

Their use also extends to agriculture and healthcare, where they help transport produce and connect communities to essential services. The sector supports businesses dealing in motorcycle sales, spare parts, repairs, maintenance, financing and insurance.

However, changes in motorcycle technology are introducing new demands on mechanics, who must acquire skills beyond servicing conventional petrol engines.

Kenya is expanding its electric mobility sector, with the Ministry of Roads and Transport reporting that cumulative electric vehicle registrations rose from 1,378 in 2022 to 39,324 in 2025. The boda boda category recorded the highest percentage increase.

The transition is changing the work of motorcycle mechanics, who must adapt to battery systems, electrical wiring and electronic diagnostics.

A Kenya News Agency report published in May 2026 found that mechanics in Kisumu were struggling to keep pace with the technology, with some lacking specialised training to repair electric motorcycles.

Jackson Otieno, a mechanic interviewed in the report, observed that electric motorcycles relied more on electronics than conventional engines, leaving many technicians to learn through experience.

The skills challenge is also gaining attention in technical training institutions. In February 2026, the government launched its National Electric Mobility Policy, which seeks to promote investment in electric transport, local manufacturing and technical capacity development.

Against this backdrop, Car & General, TVS Motor Company and Nyeri National Polytechnic have partnered to establish a motorcycle training centre at the institution in Nyeri.

Inaugurated on October 30, 2026, the 225-square-metre facility is valued at more than US$30,000 (about Sh3.9 million). It has a 30-seater classroom, digital projector, TVS motorcycle training engines, specialised tools, two motorcycles, an air compressor, a tyre-changing machine, a wheel-alignment machine and two motorcycle service ramps.

The centre will provide practical training in motorcycle technology, repair, maintenance and diagnostics to students and industry practitioners, with the aim of preparing them for employment and entrepreneurship.

Car & General General Manager George Rubiri said the industry's expansion had increased the need for professionally trained technicians.

“The motorcycle industry has evolved into one of Kenya's most important economic sectors, creating employment, enabling entrepreneurship and supporting millions of livelihoods. As the industry grows, the need for professionally trained technicians becomes even more critical,” Rubiri said.

He noted that the investment would strengthen the technical capacity needed to support the mobility sector, including local motorcycle manufacturing.

Car & General is marking 90 years since its establishment and has partnered with TVS Motor Company for more than 25 years. It distributes TVS motorcycles in Kenya and assembles them at its facility in Nakuru.

TVS Motor Company Business Head for Africa, International Business, Pradeep Chaurasiya said the facility would expose learners to modern motorcycle technologies.

“Skills development is fundamental to strengthening the mobility sector. This Training Centre will provide learners with access to modern motorcycle technologies and industry-relevant knowledge while supporting the development of a skilled workforce that can meet the changing needs of the market,” Chaurasiya explained.

TVS Motor Company, headquartered in India, manufactures two-wheelers and three-wheelers and serves customers in more than 80 countries.

Nyeri National Polytechnic Chief Principal Rachel Kimani said the partnership would strengthen the institution's ability to prepare graduates for employment and entrepreneurship.

“Technical and vocational education must remain closely connected to industry if we are to produce graduates who are ready for employment and entrepreneurship. The TVS Motorcycles Training Centre will enrich our training capabilities, expose learners to current industry technologies and strengthen the practical competencies required in the modern mobility sector,” Kimani observed.

Established in 1977, Nyeri National Polytechnic is a public technical and vocational training institution offering programmes in engineering, computing, agriculture and other professional disciplines.

The partners said the initiative would strengthen practical training, promote safety in motorcycle maintenance and support the development of technical skills within Kenya's mobility industry.