National chamber looking to the future to improve business

By WINSLEY MASESE

 

After years of infighting, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), seems to have turned a new chapter in its operations. The fight for power was at the peak in 2011 and 2012 when the umbrella body’s main office, at Ufanisi House, was under siege as the main entrance remained under lock and close watch of security officers.

With a new team in place, the chamber is set to enhance business between Kenya and any other countries.

Having moved from the Ufanisi House in Nairobi’s Central Business District to Kilimani, National Chairman Kiprono Kittony said that major changes are expected soon.

“We want to re-launch next month and the bottom line is to assist business grow,” he said.Mr Kittony also said the body would embark on a massive national membership recruitment drive to ensure many Kenyan businesses benefit from their programmes.

During the recent European Union-Africa Summit in Brussels, attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kittony noted that Kenyan trade  representations are often fragmented hence the need to consolidate them.

Vicious cycle

According to KNCCI Vice Chairman Laban Onditi, the vicious cycle of wrangles witnessed in the chamber in the past was as a result of a complete lack of arbitration, understanding and even sense of direction.

“Most of our members got sucked in the politics of the chamber and industry, while at the same time involved in national politics,” he told the Press recently.

Onditi reckoned that the changes within the organisation are part of the reforms undertaken, including having a new constitution through assistance of Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) and the United Nations Development Programme.

“We have established structures across the 47 counties and we are now in the process of legitimising and strengthening the branches in the counties,” he noted.

The commerce and industry body has, for example, 11 board members down from 22, thus making it easier to implement effective management and accountability.

Besides, the chamber is set to start a multi-million project to empower university graduates to develop and package goods for the export market.

Wider strategy

The evolvement of the body is also part of the government’s wider strategy to market Kenyan goods abroad.

During a recent visit to Ethiopia Foreign Affairs and International Trade Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed noted that trade between the two countries will increase significantly through the involvement of the private sector, which the chamber heads.

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