President Uhuru Kenyatta drove the man in-charge of his close protection detail who goes by the code name "Oskar" and Aide de Camp Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Stelu Lekolool in a pickup around State House on March 9, 2020, in what has become a hobby for the head of state.
President Kenyatta was unveiling the Mahindra Scorpio Single and Double cabin pick-ups that have been assembled in Mombasa.
A video shared by PSCU shows the president getting into the driver's seat as Simbacorp group chairman Adil Popat sits in the passenger. Kenyatta's aides were allowed to board the back of the Mahindra pickup.
The president went on a test drive around State House to experience the feel of the brand new vehicle.
Kenyatta is fond of taking the wheel, seeing as he rarely gets the chance to do it as often as he would wish, being the head of state.
Lekolool is the first officer drawn from the Kenya Navy, a naval branch of Kenyan military forces, to ever hold such a position in the country.
Speaking during the launch, the president applauded the efforts Kenyan manufacturers were putting in assembling vehicles locally and directed that taxes on such cars be reduced.
“Further, to make locally assembled vehicles more affordable and available to Kenyans, I have also directed that the National Treasury and the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives hold discussions with financial institutions to create special products for locally assembled vehicles,” President Kenyatta stated.
The head of state emphasized that his administration had prioritized the local assembly of motor vehicles as a means of creating jobs and enhancing technology transfer.
“I shall continue to provide incentives to expand this sector,” the President added.
He was quick to commended Simba Corporation Limited for choosing to expand its investments in Kenya.
“We appreciate your sustained investment in Kenya as it is a vote of confidence in our ever-improving business environment, " the President told the Simba Corporation leadership team that was led by Group Chairman Adil Popat.
Hilary Nzioki Mutyambai, inspector general of police was also given one of the Mahindra pickups specifically designed for the police service during the launch.
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