Cars await clearing at Dar Port |
Recent reports on existence of the unscrupulous car dealers supposedly
based in Japan, who have swindled Tanzanians of millions of shillings over
bogus sales, are said to have caused local importers to start looking
elsewhere.
The development is said to have affected not only Tanzania but citizens
from other member states of the East African Community as well.
There are claims that several Tanzanians have collectively been cheated
of millions of shillings by Japanese companies that lure customers with
prospects of owning posh, unbelievably cheap vehicles on their company
websites.
Last month, the Kenyan embassy in Japan posted a warning on its website
after meeting with some victims of the racket and said it had been inundated
with requests for intervention from many Kenyans who had equally fallen victim.
This, together with the strengthening Japanese Yen has made vehicles
from Japan expensive.
The trend could be a major hit to the Japanese second-hand vehicle
market and a major boon to exporters from other countries such as the UK, who
have lately been warming up to the East African market.
In the past few months, one of the largest car exporters in the UK –
MHH International has engaged a number of local car traders and private buyers
seeking to have access to quality vehicles from Europe.
MHH International MD Benn Alistair says importers from East Africa have traditionally preferred
vehicles from Japan, but this trend is slowly changing as more people turn to
the European market for quality cars due on safety concerns.
Source: The Citizen,www.thecitizen.co.tz
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