desert burner
March 3rd, 2010, 04:54 AM
The Toyota Group is set to establish a regional headquarters in Nairobi following a request by Prime Minister Raila Odinga two weeks ago.
During a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, representatives of the company, who arrived on Monday, said they had identified a suitable piece of land on Mombasa Road where they plan to launch their expanded operations.
Mr Makoto Hattori, the Executive Director of Toyota Tsusho, the trading wing of the Toyota Group, said he had scheduled meetings with Treasury to iron out issues.
Hattori said Toyota intends to increase production of motorcycles locally for Kenyan and regional markets.
Raila said expanded Toyota operations in Kenyahttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/news/InsidePage.php?id=2000004691&cid=159&story=Toyota%20heeds%20Raila%20call,%20plans%20to%20set%20up%20regional%20office%20in%20city#) would create job opportunities for the youth.
He said Toyota’s move to expand its operations in Nairobi and make Kenya its regional hub is a vote of confidence in the economy.
The PM said Kenya is a vantage position from which Toyota can penetrate the regional and entire African market.
"We are in competition with our immediate neighbours and with the rest of the world. We will do everything possible to enable Toyota and all other businesses that want to set up here do so with great ease," he said.
During a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, representatives of the company, who arrived on Monday, said they had identified a suitable piece of land on Mombasa Road where they plan to launch their expanded operations.
Mr Makoto Hattori, the Executive Director of Toyota Tsusho, the trading wing of the Toyota Group, said he had scheduled meetings with Treasury to iron out issues.
Hattori said Toyota intends to increase production of motorcycles locally for Kenyan and regional markets.
Raila said expanded Toyota operations in Kenyahttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/news/InsidePage.php?id=2000004691&cid=159&story=Toyota%20heeds%20Raila%20call,%20plans%20to%20set%20up%20regional%20office%20in%20city#) would create job opportunities for the youth.
He said Toyota’s move to expand its operations in Nairobi and make Kenya its regional hub is a vote of confidence in the economy.
The PM said Kenya is a vantage position from which Toyota can penetrate the regional and entire African market.
"We are in competition with our immediate neighbours and with the rest of the world. We will do everything possible to enable Toyota and all other businesses that want to set up here do so with great ease," he said.