- The CS said the government committed to facilitate economic growth and development by creating enabling climate for trade and investment.
- She said it involves supporting development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that comprise the backbone of the economy.
Image: GEORGE OWITI
The government is putting together interventions to promote critical sectors in the avocado, coffee and cotton value chains, Trade and Industrialisation CS Rebecca Miano has said.
Miano said Machakos is among counties identified by President William Ruto’s administration as a key cluster in promoting the three value chains.
“The Machakos County Annual Development Plan has prioritised Food Security, Socio-economic Empowerment and Infrastructure Development as the three pillars with a primary objective of transforming the social-economic livelihoods of Machakos residents to prosperity in line with your rallying call "Liu Mesani, Mbesa Muvuko" (food on the table, money in the pocket),” Miano said.
She spoke during the Machakos Industry Roundtable at Machakos International Convention Centre in Machakos County on Wednesday.
“This is in line with the National Government Bottoms Up Economic and Transformation Agenda championed by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya,” Miano said.
The CS said the government committed to facilitate economic growth and development by creating enabling climate for trade and investment.
She said it involves supporting development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that comprise the backbone of the economy through initiatives such as the recently launched Karibu Business Centres.
The centres, the CS said, will provide comprehensive business registration and facilitate service.
"We look forward to partnering and collaborating with the county of Machakos to establish a Karibu Business Centre in this region,” Miano said.
She said her ministry was implementing the County Aggregation Industrial Parks (CAIPS) project that will foster manufacturing primarily through agro-processing and value addition.
“I want to find county-branded value-added products in our superstores next year. These centres will help entrepreneurs take advantage of different shared facilities and cultivate networks that will enrich and build manufacturing to the next level,” she said.
The CS said she was excited to note that Machakos County is home to Kenya's largest Export Processing Zone in Athi River.
She said the government was putting concerted efforts into having the Kenya Leather Park and the Konza Technopolis flagship projects completed.
Miano said the Leather Park’s completion will revitalise the leather value chain while the Technopolis will attract investments in innovation development.
She said her ministry was committed to working with counties like Machakos to initiate and develop sustainable programmes that will foster market growth and revitalise key value chains that are pivotal for industrial development.
Miano congratulated Governor Wavinya Ndeti and her administration for organising the first ever Machakos Industry Round Table since devolution took effect in 2013.
“I'm aware that Machakos is one of the counties that took an initial strategic policy decision to champion counties as centres of investment promotion and facilitation, especially in industrial and value chain development.
"In the wake of the devolved system of government in 2013, the County organised the inaugural Machakos International Investment Conference in 2013. This conference greatly attracted attention towards Machakos as the ideal investment hub and destination in the country,” Miano said.
She said the strategic move to initiate the idea of the New Machakos City Project in 2013 further demonstrates the potential of counties in initiating flagship projects that would be critical in industrial development.
The CS said besides investment promotion in the industrial sector, the Machakos SME Summit held in 2019 gave impetus to the role of SMEs as key stakeholders in promoting wealth and employment creation in the countries.
“This roundtable presents yet another important milestone by Machakos to advance the discussion on industrial development, particularly 'revitalising public-private sector partnerships in investment and industrial development for wealth and employment creation,” Miano said.
Miano said her Ministry was cognisant of the policy interventions that the Machakos Government had implemented to support trade and investments and spur industrial development.