Volkswagen targets East Africa with Kenya production

Sept 09, 2016: With an aim to sell more vehicles across the East African region, Volkswagen Group will resume building cars in Kenya by the end of the year.

After a four-decade pause in production by the automaker in Kenya, Volkswagen will build an assembly plant to initially produce its Polo Vivo hatchback, Thomas Schafer, Volkswagen's South Africa's CEO, said at a meeting between government officials and VW executives.

The joint venture with local importer DT Dobie will assemble up to 5,000 Polo Vivos annually from knock-down kits at a plant operated by the Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers, Volkswagen said in a statement.

The project will be Volkswagen's third production facility in Africa alongside sites in South Africa and Nigeria.