NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 18 — Chinese electric mobility firm MojaEV Kenya Limited is targeting Kenya’s matatu sector with the planned rollout of electric buses, deepening its push into the country’s public transport ecosystem.
CEO Wang Ai Ping said the initiative is part of a broader strategy to accelerate EV adoption while building local technical and manufacturing capacity.
“Our purpose is to help solve public transportation challenges in Kenya, and electric buses will be critical in that journey,” Wang said. “Charging and spare parts are the two most important components in EV development, and we planned for both before importing any model.”
He confirmed that 30 electric buses will be deployed to local operators, complementing more than 100 NATA EV units the company has already released into Kenya’s taxi and ride-hailing market. MojaEV aims to supply over 2,000 taxi units within the next two years.
To reduce costs and support rapid scale-up, the firm plans to begin assembling electric vehicles in Mombasa from January 2026. The assembly line will initially handle Semi Knocked Down (SKD) units before transitioning to Complete Knocked Down (CKD) production.
The plant is expected to produce 3,000 units in its first phase, with capacity rising to 5,000 units annually. Once fully operational, the facility could employ between 4,000 and 6,000 workers, positioning it as one of the region’s largest EV manufacturing operations.
MojaEV’s entry into the matatu sector comes as interest in cleaner public transport solutions grows across Kenya, with operators looking to cut fuel expenditure and reduce long-term maintenance costs.
