Ichung’wah seeks to end sale of refurbished gadgets, used cars disguised as new

Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah during debate on Parliamentary Pension (Amendment) Bill on November 29, 2025/ FILEKikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah has called for mandatory labelling of refurbished electronic devices and disclosure of vehicle accident histories, saying buyers should not pay new-product prices for items that have previously been used or repaired.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Ichung’wah said sellers should clearly inform customers when phones and computers have been reconditioned instead of presenting them as new.

He said some refurbished laptops and computers, particularly those sold to students, were being passed off as new despite having undergone repairs and replacement of parts.

“ A lot of refurbished laptops and computers are being sold, mostly to our students. And they are being taken advantage of, because they have all been cleaned up, they have changed the screens, they all look new, you change the keyboard, but you do not label it as a reconditioned or refurbished item,” he said.

Ichung’wah said some traders sell such devices at the same price as new products, leaving buyers unaware of their actual condition.

Refurbished electronics are previously owned or used devices that have been inspected, repaired or restored before being resold. The process may involve replacing damaged components such as screens, batteries and keyboards, cleaning the device and testing its functionality.

Although refurbishment can make a device usable again, Ichung’wah said sellers should not conceal its history or allow buyers to mistake it for a brand-new product.

He cited mobile phones as another category where the practice was becoming a concern.

“If you are selling a reconditioned or refurbished iPhone 18 or 16, you must disclose to the consumer that this is a refurbished item, it is reconditioned and not new, and clear labelling must be done to ensure that that is done,” he said.

The Majority Leader also called for sellers to provide buyers with the accident, repair and maintenance history of motor vehicles.

He said buyers could purchase vehicles that had been involved in several accidents without knowing their history, especially where damaged body parts had been replaced to make them appear in good condition.

Ichung’wah argued that unlike aircraft and helicopters, whose buyers can access detailed repair and maintenance records, vehicle buyers were not routinely given similar information.

He said the proposed requirements would make sellers disclose a vehicle’s repair and maintenance history, as well as its accident record, alongside its mileage.

The disclosures, he said, would help consumers make informed decisions and avoid paying for products whose condition or history had been concealed.