In this episode of the Pure Digital Passion Podcast, I sit down with Steve Kahugu, the Chief Technology Officer at CarDuka, to unpack how one of Kenya’s fastest-growing digital car marketplaces is solving the country’s long-standing trust deficit in car buying and selling.CarDuka has grown from an online valuation platform in 2017 to a 2.5 million–user marketplace built around verification, safety, data-driven decision making, instant financing, and AI-powered insights. Steve gives a candid, deeply technical look into how the platform works, why trust remains the industry’s biggest pain point, and how CarDuka plans to scale toward 4 million users by December.We explore CarDuka’s dealer microsites, private seller tools, the new trading feature, powerful NCBA financing integrations, and their long-term vision of becoming the most trusted marketplace for cars across Africa.If you’ve ever bought or sold a car in Kenya, this conversation offers clarity, context, and a glimpse into the industry’s future:00:00 – Introduction & Why Trust Defines Kenya’s Car Market01:33 – CarDuka Origins: From Valuation Tool to Auctions to Marketplace03:22 – The Trust Deficit: Kenya’s #1 Pain Point in Car Transactions04:23 – Why Even Car Dealers Face Trust Challenges06:19 – How CarDuka’s Verification System Works (Buyers & Sellers)08:51 – Mileage Manipulation & New Authenticity Safeguards10:25 – Deep Integration with NCBA & Instant Financing13:35 – CarDuka Growth: From 1M to 2.5M Users14:00 – AI-Powered Car Reviews & Chatbots16:55 – Scaling to 4 Million Users: What’s Driving Adoption21:13 – Private Sellers: Self-Listing vs. Sell-It-For-Me23:06 – New Trading Feature Explained24:58 – Dealer Microsites & Digital Showrooms28:11 – Why Dealers Must Learn to Self-List31:51 – Dealer Benefits: Verified Leads, NCBA Financing & More32:13 – The 2030 Roadmap & CarDuka Club35:26 – Misconceptions About Buying Cars Online37:38 – Message to Hesitant Buyers38:14 – Message to Dealers Yet to Join CarDuka39:06 – Where to Learn More & Download the App39:31 – Closing Thoughts