• President Ruto is currently in Yokohama, Japan, attending the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), a high-level summit focused on Africa-Japan cooperation.

Kenya is gearing up for a major shift in its transport sector, with President William Ruto announcing that the government is in talks with Toyota Motor Corporation to supply 5,000 electric vehicles. 

The move signals a step toward clean energy and a future less dependent on fossil fuels.

“We are seeking partnerships with Japanese automotive manufacturer Toyota Motor Corporation in e-mobility to begin the transition from fossil fuels,” Ruto said through a statement on X.

According to the President, the initiative will include 30–40% local content in the assembly of e-vehicles, with the long-term goal of full-scale manufacturing.

That means jobs, skills, and a stronger local supply chain rooted in sustainability.

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Kenya’s push for e-mobility is part of a broader strategy to embrace green growth, clean energy, and climate-sensitive development.

Ruto emphasizes that the country is crafting programs to respond to the global climate phenomenon not just with policy, but with tangible infrastructure and innovation.

Japan, a longstanding ally, plays a key role in this journey. As the third-largest source of official development assistance to Kenya, Japan has contributed over $5 billion (KSh650 billion) across six decades of partnership. 

That support has helped power geothermal development in Olkaria and expand the port in Mombasa, two pillars of Kenya’s economic and energy resilience.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently declared that the fossil fuel age is flailing and failing. "We're at the dawn of a new and clean energy era. We have the tools to power the future for humanity,” he said.

Kenya is already wielding those tools, leading the continent in geothermal energy and now setting its sights on electrifying mobility.

President Ruto is currently in Yokohama, Japan, attending the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), a high-level summit focused on Africa-Japan cooperation.

While there, he’s championing Kenya’s green agenda and courting investment in sectors like renewable energy, infrastructure, and digital innovation.