The National Police Service has taken possession of 39 out of 80 Isuzu mu-X vehicles from Isuzu East Africa in a leasing deal that is aimed at boosting operational capacity of the Police across the country. The 7-seater diesel powered, all terrain Isuzu mu-X is ideal for rapid deployment and general daily operations.
The vehicles have been acquired by the Police through a leasing agreement that comes with a service contract for maintenance over a four-year period. Speaking at the handover ceremony held at the Isuzu assembly Plant, Isuzu East Africa Managing Director Rita Kavashe said the vehicle leasing model is bearing fruit for scores of organizations.
“Leasing has enabled access to vehicles for the government and other organizations without the burden of the initial heavy capital injection that comes with asset acquisition,” she explained.
Since 2013, the Kenya government has leased over 3,000 vehicles for use by the various police departments in a move aimed at cutting costs and improving police mobility in their daily operations within the country.
“The uptake of vehicles through the leasing program is proving to be of great benefit to all parties. It provides cost effective official transport and has also spurred growth in the local motor vehicle assembly industry as demand keeps growing,” Rita said.
On his part, Isuzu East Africa Chairman Mr Hiroshi Hisatomi said that Isuzu had a rich tradition of making the best diesel engines in the world.
“For more than 80 years, Isuzu has remained at the top, by developing innovations in automotive technology to meet different customer requirements. We will continue to support the National Police Service to ensure our products meet your requirements,” he said.
David Njagi, the Chief Transport Officer, National Police Service welcomed the addition to their fleet which comprises a variety of personnel carrier trucks and double cab pickups. “We are delighted with this first delivery of the Isuzu mu-X vehicles and are confident they will be well supported by the Isuzu service network across the country,” he said.
Mr Njagi was accompanied to the handover event by Mr Edward Achola, Chief Transport Officer, and Administration Police Service.