State’s appetite for imports starves local industries of growth

The continued reliance on other countries means the government’s goal of growing the manufacturing sector’s output from Sh2.2tr to Sh5tr in 36 months will remain a mirage.

Kenya’s manufacturing sector is losing billions of shillings in the much-needed capital to grow the country’s industries, as the Government opts to outsource major projects to developed nations.

The State’s move to import more than Sh500 billion worth of manufacturing value from countries such as China in the past five years is further exporting high-value jobs at a time when the country is grappling with record high unemployment.