Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) in conjunction with the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development launched their 5th Edition of the annual Kenya Manufacturing Summit and Expo dubbed Changamka Shopping Festival.
Speaking Thursday at the event at a hotel in Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Industrialization, Ms Betty Maina acknowledged the local industrial team and local service providers and producers for making it possible for them to realize their dream and ambition in industrializing the government.
“I thank the Changamka Festival and the manufacturing sector that partnered with us as part of our Africa Industrialization day celebration team. It is really a strong partnership that you have shown the government for it has demonstrated to the consumers that the products are available in Kenya,” said CS.
Maina noted that there will be a pre-event that will be held from 1st to 5th November 2022 at Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi and a post-event at Aga Khan Hall in Kisumu from 1st to 4th December 2022.
She said the events will provide opportunities for local manufactures to showcase their products and services to Kenyans and also the manufactures to interact one on one with their consumers,
The festival seeks to showcase high-quality locally manufactured products, in a bid to celebrate the sector’s ingenuity and promote the Buy Kenya Build Kenya initiative.
“The expo seeks to unpack various topical policy issues that aim at spurring growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSMES), and enhancing local, regional and international market access that will create more markets and products available in Kenya,” she explained.
“The Summit and Expo is one of the various Public-Private Partnership arrangements between this Ministry and the KAM. The state continues to prioritize manufacturing as a key sector for sustainable economic growth and job creation. The government and the Private Sector, through KAM, has agreed to expand the domestic market for local manufactures through preferential Public Procurement,” said Maina.
Maina also noted that the expansion resulted into the review of the Public Procurement legislation of 2005 resulting into the enactment of the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Act, 2015.
This particular act introduced changes for provisions for preference and reservations in procurement where manufactured articles, materials or supplies wholly mined and produced in Kenya are subject to preferential procurement hence the act also provides reservations of 30 per cent of public procurement to MSMES, Women, Youth and People with Disabilities.
Additionally, Maina noted that their partnership with KAM, various Government Ministries, Department and Agencies, the local manufacturers have been able to adjust to the standards required for the construction of the ongoing affordable housing units.
“We look forward to strengthen partnership with the private sector, development partners and other stakeholders in this manufacturing journey. As we conclude the transition into the Kenya Kwanza government, I have no doubt that my successor, Mr Moses Kuria will build on this partnership and take local manufacturing to a higher level,” she said.
KAM Chairman and Capwel Industries CEO, Mr Rajan Shah called for support to the sector to enhance market access. He said that for the manufacturing sector to grow access to local, regional and international markets is crucial.
“The Changamka Festival is part of the Association’s initiatives to drive the country’s economic growth and increase the consumption of locally manufactured goods. The Shopping aims to dismantle the long-held belief that local goods are not of high quality and to reduce over-reliance on imports,” noted Shah.
Changamka Shopping Festival has come at a time when Kenyans are grappling with the high cost of living. With over 100 exhibitors in Nairobi and Kisumu, it shall provide Kenyans with a platform to purchase goods at factories and at highly discounted rates.
