State and manufacturers agree on steps to create jobs and grow exports

By STANDARD REPORTER

The Ministry of Industrialisation and Enterprise Development and Kenyan manufacturers have agreed on a 10-point agenda that will substantially boost jobs and industrial growth in Kenya.

 The ten-point agenda was, agreed upon yesterday during a consultative meeting between Industrialisation and Enterprise Development Cabinet Secretary, Mr Adan Mohamed and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (Kam).  Top of the agenda is a Buy Kenyan- Build Kenya campaign, increasing Kenyan share of intra-Africa trade, human capital development, productivity based pay and reducing cost of business.

Others are enhancing market access to the East African Community, Comesa, and Europe and a mentoring programme to promote and support the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) manufacturing segment.

 To drive this agenda the Ministry will continuously engage with the business community in monthly meetings that will advance the Kenyan business agenda to be globally competitive. The Ministry will introduce new metrics to measure success that will use manufacturing output as a key measure of GDP growth.

 Mohamed observed that the manufacturing sector currently employs over one million and supports more than three million Kenyans in downstream activities.  “The manufacturing sector offers great potential to create formal and informal jobs thereby reducing unemployment,” he noted.

KAM Chairman Mr. Polycarp Igathe said by doubling the share of Africa’s trade, Kenya could double its employment overnight and significantly contribute to meeting the Government’s goal to create one million jobs in three years.