Environment for Micro and Small Enterprises

Kiambu

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

KNA Wangari Waweru

Kiambu County government is working towards enabling small business owners a favourable working environment to carry out their businesses.

Speaking to KNA, the CEC for Trade and Industrialisation Nancy Gichungwa said that currently there is an aggregation centre at Waruhiu farm in Githunguri, an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) and special economic zone (SEZ) at Tatu City and added they plan to set up more in Nachu ward and Ndeiya Sub County.

With these centres in place, she said the county was planning to come up with greenhouses and cold rooms for production of fruits and vegetables and affordable warehousing where they will be storing their products so that they can be able to leverage on international and regional markets.

"We are partnering with Strathmore and USAID to give small business owners short courses on how to manage the finances, bookkeeping and how to save their money,” she said. 

The CEC also confirmed that they partnered with banks that have several financial solution options to offer to the business owners.

Stacy Wairimu, a household trader said, "I am very happy with what the government is doing. I was able to take up a short course where I learnt how to manage my money and work in a way that my business is going to grow".

The hustler fund she added has also helped her in setting up the business.

"The County is doing a good job. This is a good start for us and I hope that they will continue putting us into consideration,” she said. 

Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) have become apparent players in industrialisation largely aiding economic growth, innovation, and employment creation in the country.

Kiambu County is known for its excellence in business and industrialization having Thika town, an industrial hub as one of its sub counties.

The county also has a wide range of business which serve as local breeding grounds for local entrepreneurship.

These small scale businesses act as the backbone of the economy and according to Gichungwa , play an essential role in driving industrialization by promoting local entrepreneurship, technological improvement, and enabling sustainable development.

In an effort to create a good working environment for both small and medium scale businesses, the government has, in the past been giving tax incentives .

Courtesy ; K. N. A