The Investments, Trade, and Industry CS Rebecca Miano has announced government’s commitment to establish export processing zones in regions blessed with required raw materials to ease and cut cost of doing business in the country.
Besides creating job opportunities, the CS who has gazetted three new zones, further noted that facilitation of investors eying the Kenyan market will be key in boosting industrialization opportunities as well as promoting value addition manufacturing.
Miano says the initiative to gazette the three zones on 23rd October 2023 demonstrates government commitment to invest at least Ksh.1 Billion in establishing five new zones as announced in May.
“I am delighted that so far we have managed to secure land to utilize for three export zones. The zones are key in bridging the unemployment gap through direct and indirect job opportunities. Cutting investors’ cost of doing business is also a key consideration we are putting to offer them sustainable profitable opportunities in ventures they invest in,” said the CS
Unlike the tradition of setting up industrial zones comprising mere warehouses, the CS says the government is facilitating investors to make informed decisions on opportunities available within certain regions.
For instance, the gazetted Kagoni and Kabati zones in Kisumu and Murang’a counties are designed to deal with Fish Air bladder and fresh products available in the said areas.
Besides the availability of fish from Lake Victoria, the proximity to Lakes Turkana and Baringo has also been considered. The zone has been allocated Ksh. 220 Million.
Availability of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in Murang’a also informed the establishment of avocado oil manufacturing company which is also in the pipeline after being gazetted and allocated Ksh. 250 Million. The zone will have at least 370 workers to begin with.
Miano indicated that identification of potential markets for the intended final products is also an initiative her Ministry is investing on to encourage potential investors.
The initiative comes against a backdrop of EPZA management assurance to its thousands of the employees’ of job security despite unpredictable economic times influenced by various dynamics that have seen the Kenya shilling steadily decline against the dollar.
By Odanga Fred.