Kenya Quality Awards: PS Mukhwana calls for quality-driven growth as Kebs honours industry excellence

Trade Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana has called for a renewed national commitment to quality, innovation, and competitiveness as Kenya works to strengthen its industrial base and expand its global footprint.

Mukhwana stated that the government remains committed to fostering a culture of excellence that drives industrial growth and economic transformation.

“Kenya’s ambition to become an industrial hub under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and Vision 2030 rests on quality, the bridge between policy and practice,” he said during the Kenya Quality Awards (KQA) 2025 gala dinner held Friday night at a Nairobi hotel.

He was representing Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui.

He applauded the resilience of local industries, noting that some have been in operation since 1907, and praised their generational commitment to excellence and value addition.

He added that quality certification is key to unlocking new markets, building credibility, and attracting investment.

Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) Board Chairperson Chris Wamalwa echoed the call, describing quality as “the cornerstone of a competitive and sustainable Kenya.”

“Quality is more than a standard; it is a national ethos and a discipline that drives innovation, efficiency, and ethical growth,” he said.

He noted that the Kenya Quality Awards symbolize the country’s determination to build a globally competitive and ethically grounded economy, while reinforcing consumer trust in Kenyan brands at home and abroad.

Kebs Managing Director Esther Ngari said the awards aim to spotlight organisations that redefine quality through innovation, customer focus, and data-driven decisions.

“Quality is not just about compliance, it is about competitiveness, sustainability, and national pride,” she said. 

“At KEBS, we believe that quality is the most powerful language of global trade, a universal currency of trust.”

She added that KEBS is transforming from a regulator to an enabler of excellence, through initiatives such as infrastructure modernisation, digital transformation, and strengthened industry partnerships.

The Kenya Quality Awards (KQA) 2025, themed “Quality: Think Differently,” were organised by Kebs to celebrate organisations that exemplify best practices, customer focus, and continuous improvement. 

Winners were selected through a rigorous, transparent process conducted by an independent jury of industry leaders and associations.

Award categories included Company of the Year, Service of the Year, Product of the Year, and Exporter of the Year, covering both large enterprises and SMEs. 

Evaluation criteria encompassed leadership, customer focus, engagement of people, evidence-based decision-making, process management, infrastructure, and regulatory compliance.

The colourful ceremony reaffirmed Kenya’s growing culture of quality and innovation, and its resolve to compete, lead, and thrive on the global stage.