Teso man makes car from motor vehicle scrap metal

Journalists enjoy a ride in an improvised makeshift vehicle made by Harrison Etiang at Amagoro in Busia County. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

 
 

Do you drive? If you live in an urban centre, you have probably been asked this question several times. Many do not drive because cars are expensive, but this did not stop Harrison Etiang’.

The 31-year-old artisan from Kocholia in Teso North Constituency says inventing his car was not a smooth ride.

His bumpy ride, however, started in secondary school, where he designed an aircraft.

The aircraft’s propeller broke and seriously injured a man in Kitale town. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) then issued a ban on operating homemade aircraft.

Many bumps later, he tried his hand at broadcast media, when he set up a radio frequency that disrupted others in Busia County. Again, his dreams were shattered when the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) arrested him. He was ordered to switch it off.

Some of the items shared on the station included news on immunization and political campaigns.

When his station was shut down he set his eyes on the motor vehicle, using scrap metal and a motorbike engine.

The vehicle christened ‘Car Sos’ has a steering wheel, speedometer, and three passenger seats.

Etiang’ said he took the engine of a motorcycle that had been involved in an accident and declared unroadworthy, bought four motorcycle tyres and used improvised scrap metal.

“I took the speedometer of the motorcycle and installed. I also made an improved gear box to increase the speed of the home-made car,” he said.

Etiang’ uses Car Sos to transport people and goods. In other cases, he uses it to drive to work at St Joseph’s Kocholia, where he is an artisan.

He says his wish is to work for Isuzu and Toyota. If not employment, he would seek sponsorship or funding for his projects by the car manufacturing companies. He would redesign it and make Car Sos lighter and faster.

The car, which cost Sh3,000 to make, consumes fuel worth Sh20.

“The car goes at a speed of 110kph. I have installed a 12 volts’ rechargeable battery.”

When traveling to the Kenya-Uganda border at Malaba from Kocholia, one uses Sh200 on a motorcycle, but with his car, Etiang’ spends Sh20. He intends to use it for boda boda business.