Associated Motors Limited, one of Kenya’s oldest motor dealerships, has been placed under receivership by Family Bank shortly after losing its six-decade partnership with Isuzu East Africa, according to notices published in April 2026.
On 19 March 2026, Isuzu East Africa announced that Associated Motors was no longer an authorised dealer, advising customers to seek services from its wider dealership network. The company did not disclose reasons for ending the relationship, which dates back to 1966 when Associated Motors became the exclusive distributor of Isuzu vehicles in Kenya and the first assembler of Japanese models in the country.
Over the years, the firm built a strong regional presence, operating as a leading 3S dealership with branches in Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret, Nakuru, Meru and Chuka.
Family Bank appointed Kamal Anantroy Bhatt and Dhir Kamal Bhatt of Anant Bhatt LLP as joint receivers and managers on 9 April 2026, taking control of income from several secured properties, including sites in Meru and Eldoret.
On the same day, the lender also placed a related company, Sclaters Holdings Limited, under receivership, appointing the same team over its Nairobi Industrial Area property. Both actions stem from security agreements dated 30 August 2021, suggesting the entities were tied to a single borrowing arrangement.
The termination of the Isuzu franchise effectively stripped Associated Motors of its core revenue stream. The Eldoret assets cited in the receivership correspond to its long-running branch on Kisumu Road, established in 1976. The swift move by Family Bank, just weeks after the franchise ended, indicates the lender deemed recovery prospects untenable without the dealership agreement.
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In a related development, I&M Bank placed Jamii Distributors (E.A) Limited under administration on 1 April 2026, appointing Kamal Anantroy Bhatt and Jai Kamal Bhatt as joint administrators under the Insolvency Act.
The administration removes control from the company’s directors, placing operations and assets under the administrators while creditors are given 30 days to file claims and directors required to submit a statement of affairs within 12 days.
All three insolvency processes are being handled by Anant Bhatt LLP, a Mombasa-based accounting firm affiliated with the global TAG Alliances network.
These developments reflect a broader trend of rising corporate distress in Kenya, as lenders step up recovery efforts amid increasing non-performing loans and a challenging economic climate.
