The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is developing an electric mobility project in Kenya. In the pilot phase launched on March 2nd, 2021 in the Karura Forest in Nairobi, several electric motorbikes have been introduced for urban mobility.
Air pollution caused by mobility could be reduced in Kenya. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recently introduced electric motorbikes to Kenyans. The two- and three-wheelers, designed as part of an electric mobility pilot project, were unveiled at a ceremony attended by officials from Kisumu County, as well as several companies including Kenya Power (KPLC), the Karura Forestry Association in the capital Nairobi and Powerhive. The launch of the pilot project was also attended by representatives of at least 20 Kenyan small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in the electric mobility sector.
The central government of Kenya should then appreciate the quality of electric motorbikes and ensure the transition to sustainable mobility. The Kenyan authorities are already involved in this vast project and even plan to introduce tax incentives to facilitate the acquisition of electric vehicles. The objective is to ensure electric mobility (5%) by 2025.
The project implemented by UNEP in Kenya is part of a much larger initiative called “Integration of electric 2 and 3-wheelers into existing urban transport modes in developing and transition countries”. It aims to reduce countries’ dependence on fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gases. The project is also being implemented in Uganda, Ethiopia and other Asian countries. The initiative is funded by the International Climate Initiative of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.
Inès Magoum
