Kenyan women move under the bonnet as EVs take off

What the report says

Kenya’s fast-growing electric motorcycle market is creating new work for women in vehicle repair, battery handling, fleet operations and related technical services, according to a special report published by The Independent Uganda based on Bird story material. The report focuses on Irene Wali and her Chixz Auto Garage and Services, where women are trained to service conventional vehicles, electric motorcycles and solar systems as the country’s transport sector shifts toward cleaner energy.

Chixz is also converting petrol motorcycles to electric power and placing trainees into jobs through partners such as BasiGo. The garage offers practical training for young women, especially mothers and low-income earners, and is building a franchise-style model called Chixz Hub. The plan would allow trained women to run local repair, charging and battery-swapping points in smaller towns and rural trading centres, where EV service skills remain limited.

The story places this work within a wider policy and market shift. Kenya’s transport authorities and mobility groups have launched new training and policy efforts, including an electric mobility curriculum at Siaya National Polytechnic and the country’s National Electric Mobility Policy, introduced in February. The report says women-focused groups such as Flone Initiative and companies like Ubuntu Rides are trying to connect skills training with actual jobs and leadership roles in the growing e-mobility economy.