Principal Secretary for Trade Regina Akoth OmbamPrincipal Secretary for Trade Regina Akoth Ombam has called on counties to position themselves as the engines of Kenya’s trade and investment growth, citing devolution as a catalyst for unlocking unprecedented economic opportunities.
Speaking on behalf of Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui at a side event during the Devolution Conference 2025, Ombam said counties are now well-placed to boost economic transformation by strengthening local value chains.
Addressing delegates at Raila Odinga Stadium, Ombam praised Homa Bay County’s innovation in the blue economy, highlighting progress in fishing, aquaculture, lake transport, and its trailblazing move to pioneer the country’s first commercial palm oil production zone.
She noted that investments in fish processing plants, palm oil refineries, and marine transport infrastructure are creating “real opportunities to transform livelihoods, create jobs, and deepen regional trade linkages.”
Anchoring her remarks on the conference theme — Unlocking County Trade Potential by Strengthening Local Value Chains for Inclusive Growth in Kenya — Ombam tied the discussion to the government’s Economic Transformation Agenda.
She spotlighted the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks programme, a flagship initiative jointly implemented by national and county governments to establish hubs for aggregation, processing, and efficient marketing of goods.
While commending Homa Bay’s progress on its industrial park project, Ombam stressed the urgency of attracting investors to operationalise it.
She also called for the removal of trade barriers such as overlapping licenses, unnecessary roadblocks, and non-compliance with weights and measures standards, which she said directly impact farmers, traders, and manufacturers.
The PS urged counties to invest in strategic infrastructure, streamline regulations, and strengthen public-private partnerships, identifying horticulture, dairy, fisheries, textiles, tourism, and mining as sectors ripe for value chain expansion.
“Kenya’s integration into regional and global value chains will not happen by chance,” she said. “It requires deliberate and coordinated action between county and national governments, aligned policies, and a shared vision.”
Ombam called for unity of purpose, saying trade must go beyond statistical targets to become a driver of improved livelihoods for all Kenyans.
