Women challenged to seize available job opportunities

Kilifi County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIP). [Courtesy]

Women working at the Kilifi County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIP) have been urged to embrace  employment opportunities created by the project.

Prime Cabinet Secretary’s Policy Coordination and Strategy Advisor Anne Olubendi says the jobs offer an avenue for economic empowerment and improved household livelihoods.

Speaking during a multi-agency field verification exercise in Sabaki Ward, Magarini Sub-County, Olubendi encouraged women to remain committed to their work and take advantage of the opportunities presented by the ongoing construction.

“I want to encourage you to maintain that spirit and continue working. Work is important. Some people are unable to find such jobs,” she said, noting that employment opportunities remained scarce for many people.

Olubendi said the participation of women in the project was important in strengthening household incomes, reducing economic dependency and giving them practical work experience that could open doors to further employment.

She also acknowledged concerns raised by workers during the engagement, assuring them that their grievances had been noted and would be followed up.

“Muwe na moyo. Malalamiko tumepata,” she said.

The Sh500 million industrial park, currently 25 per cent complete, is among the government's investments aimed at establishing aggregation and industrial parks across all 47 counties to stimulate local production, value addition and job creation.

Once completed, the Kilifi facility is expected to accommodate 80 industrial warehouses focusing on the processing and value addition of locally available products, including cassava, poultry, mangoes and fish.

The project is expected to benefit farmers by providing facilities for aggregation, processing and storage, helping reduce post-harvest losses while connecting producers to wider markets.

Beyond direct employment during construction, the industrial park is projected to generate additional opportunities in manufacturing, packaging, transportation, distribution and trade, particularly for women, young people and small-scale entrepreneurs.

She emphasised the importance of coordination among government agencies  to address implementation bottlenecks and ensure projects are completed within the expected timelines.

Last month, Senators led by Trade and Industrialisation Committee Chairman Juma Boy visited the project to assess its implementation and examine its potential contribution to Kilifi's economic development.

The investment forms part of the government's broader development agenda to strengthen grassroots economies by linking local production to industrial processing and markets.

The industrial park is expected to provide opportunities beyond temporary construction employment, opening pathways into processing, entrepreneurship and other activities across the agricultural value chain.