Autonews Celebrating 100 years of Motoring Excellence AA Kenya’s 100 Years of Motoring Excellence Road Safety: How Driving Blind Could ‘Write you Off’ The History that Carved the Future: One-on -One with Legendary Navigator Mr Abdul Sidi Getting the Most out of your Car at No Extra Cost Quarter 2, 2019 Quarter 2, 2019 Become a Member Today and Enjoy the Ultimate Motoring Experience Premier Membership Prestige Membership Classic Membership Corporate Membership Get In Touch With Us!!! 0701 933 000 SMS: 21062 www.aakenya.co.ke [email protected] TTableable ofof CCononttentsents Word from CEO 2 Editorial Governing Council & Management team 2 Word from President 3 Editor’s Note 3 Winnie W. Wanzetse AA at 100 AA of Kenya Renaissance Corporate Park • 100 years of motoring excellence - 4/5 P.O. BOX 40087 • e past that carved the future- 16/17 [email protected] 0709 933 790 Auto calendar – 8 Feature – The new Mobius II – 10/11 Road Safety: Advertising [email protected] • UN Global Road Safety Week – 9 • How Driving Blind Could ‘Write you o ’ – 13 • Driving blind and its e ects on road safety – 14 Graphics Design & Layout Industry news: • Mombasa car bazaars to vacate CBDs - 12 • Plans underway for Phase 3 of SGR – 19 Victor Munyi AA of Kenya • Public transport in Nairobi gets savvier – 23 Renaissance Corporate Park • KRA in hunt for foreign vehicles without permit - 24 P.O. BOX 40087 • Peugeot 3008 makes royal entry into Kenyan – 25 [email protected] 0701 688 659 • Nairobi City transport system morphing - 28 AA Road Safety tips: • e A-Z of navigating ooded roads – 15 Disclaimer • Safe driving in rainy conditions – 22 • What to always carry in your in case of emergency-26 The opinions expressed in this AA Self help tips: magazine are not necessarily the • Getting the most out of your car at no extra cost – 20/21 o cial view of the AA of Kenya • Simple checks to validate your (car) purchase - 27 Autonews Q2, 2019 Word from CEO Road safety should be taken a notch higher for the next century We are working even harder to Governing Council make sure access to these services is even faster. Going forward, as President we try to improve and even add on Mr. Jinaro K Kibet our range of services we hope to take our members on a memorable journey each time they access our Vice President services. Ms. Milcah G. Mugo Secretary In conjunction with FIA and Eng. Erastus Mwongera the UN, we have taken steps Treasurer to safeguard the safety of all Mr. David K Waweru Members advocacy, policy making and law Mr. Stephen Muli Francis M. Theuri enforcement in conjunction with Mr. Samuel Waweru Mr. Charles Waithima Mr. Gerald Kariuki Gakima others, we have made roads Mr. Stephen Maina Waweru e just turned one hundred W safer and seen a decrease in road Ms. Beatrice Atieno Rariewa years, and this brings a surreal tone carnage all across the country. AA Dr. Manoj Shah with it. To be in existence for an Kenya remains dedicated to realise Rev. Harun N. Ngere entire century, serving motorists the overall goal of reducing road Legal Advisor and making their experience as accident deaths drastically by year Mr. Nyaencha, Waichari and seamless and enjoyable as possible 2022. Company Advocates has not been easy but it has been possible. We cannot walk the Road Safety Senior Management journey alone and therefore invite all of you to take your seat at the and road safety remain top on table and tackle issues road safety Chief Executive the agenda of the Automobile Association of Kenya even as we the UN Global Road Safety Week Mr. Timothy Keli walk into a new century. from May 6th-12th 2019. We hope So far, a lot has been done since Head of Business to conduct a range of activities to Development our inception and the product mark this auspicious season as we range has expanded to cover our work towards making the roads Mr. George Kabue member needs as they come. safe for every road user. Head of Finance We now have three main classes As more and more Kenyans of individual membership to acquire vehicles and become Eng. Eric Mutyota accommodate everyone’s unique regular drivers, the need to Head of Technical And needs. We have also increased our instilroad safety ideals in everyone Commercial Services is increased. Remember that you receives maximum rewards from are the beginning of safety not just their subscription. Ms. Linda Kenelwa for yourself but everyone. Head of HR and Administration We have infused technology in Lastly, I thank you for your our service provision to make the unwavering membership for many Mr. Benson Wambugu user experience quicker and more decades and we hope to serve you Head of Audit And Risk even better, going forward. Page | 2 Autonews Q2, 2019 Word from the President 100 years of excellence, and 100 more to go! We are 100 years old this year! It has been a wonderful journey with lots of gains over time. From humble beginnings where we had 2,000 members in 1925, we have risen to have a member base of 100,000 and growing. Our services have also improved from just the initial driving school and we of many lessons, AA Kenya has stood the test of time and grown to be an authority in matters motoring and road security. Armed with our main goal of bettering the motoring experience for working to make it even better. Jinaro Kibet President AA Kenya thing of the past, we invite you all to walk the journey with us to ensure that we make our roads safe for all. I would like to thank you all for your loyal membership over the years and we hope to go yet another century, hand in hand. Editor’s Note Let us do our best to avoid road accidents this new century At 0930hrs on 22nd March around Kikopey, Kenya, a truck came hurtling downhill, lights blazing, trailer swinging this way and that, horn hooting. A few seconds later, this truck lay in a ditch, with 11 people already dead than 30 people have died around the same steep area at Kikopey, with most of the accidents being blamed on mechanical failures in the vehicles. driving in when we are in our cars? Driving blind is all about being unaware of the prevailing conditions inside and outside the vehicle as we move on the roads. In our Q2 2019, we explore ways to be more ready for all prevailing AA Kenya turns 100 this year, and we also take you on the journey through Winnie Wanzetse Editor - Autonews Magazine about the new entrants into the market, the new Mobius II and Peugeot 3008 and a number of tips on vehicle maintenance our Quarter 2 issue makes for a wonderful cocktail to quench your thirst for motoring information. pray that a lasting solution to the shortcomings of the Boeing 737-Max is found to curb further incidences. Page | 3 AA Turns 100 Autonews Q2, 2019 100 years of Motoring E I. Galton-Fenzi was also able to raise Founded in 1919 by Lionel Douglas news to members. A member’s only and distribute money towards the Galton Fenzi, the Automobile magazine, Autonews was distributed tarmacking of several roads in East Association of Kenya started out as regularly to members. As it celebrates Africa. the Royal East Africa Automobile its 66th year of existence, Autonews Since then we have advanced to is now available to both members now have superhighways complete of the Association was the then and non-members and exists in both with interchanges, opening up the Governor of Kenya, Sir Edward print and electronic format. country to access, exploration and Northey, whereas Galton Fenzi investment. played the role of Honorary Secretary until his death in 1937. starting of AA were to promote and safeguard the interests of motorists by providing information and advice on purchase maintenance and repair of vehicles; negotiating attractive insurance premiums; road mapping and setting up of petrol depots. A Royal Charter was granted in The Riley 12/50 that pioneered the journey from General meeting on January 27, Mombasa to Nairobi in 1926. ( PHOTO: Courtesy) Initially, AA Membership was at less than 1000, represented more While trying to diversify its limited to only members of European than 70% of the entire motoring services, the Association started a origin and rose to 2,000 by 1925. Driving School in 1962. Initially, multiplied over the years to stand at there was only one car available for However the Second World War 100 times that! worked back the membership to brainchild of M.A.S Northcote and 1,189 by 1939 and 753 by 1946 other ex-British army men, the prompting the Association to open development of East Africa is credited driving school instructors instilled a Membership to non-Europeans by to the Automobile Association of lot of discipline in the training. 1950. Since then there has been a Kenya for around then, in 1923, boost to the overall membership Galton-Fenzi started negotiating for which stands at about 100,000 loan of cars to be tested under East happens to be one of the most African conditions. Galton-Fenzi respected schools in the country, has since expanded, carved out received many vehicles, among them training several hundred thousand a Riley 12/50 from the Riley Motor students each year. With training for may have. For that, individual Car Company of Coventry, United membership expanded to have the Kingdom.