Trade, Industrialisation & Tourism
Vision:
To be the preferred hub for industrialization, trade and tourism with a robust and sustainable economy
Mission:
To Promote and sustain a vibrant and globally competitive industrialization, trade and tourism sector for wealth and employment generation
Strategic Objectives
The Strategic objectives for the Ministry are to:-
- Enhance the livelihoods of the county residents through direct and indirect participation in industrialization, trade and tourism
- Provide an enabling environment for the practice of industrialization, trade and tourism for the benefit of local residents and external investors.
- Build skills and financial Capacity of county residents in order to be competitive and realize benefits accruing from industrialization, trade and tourism opportunities.
- Raise global awareness of Kakamega County as an investment and business hub with its richly endowed potential/resources for industrialization, trade and tourism opportunities.
- Formulate policy, legal and institutional framework for county industrialization, trade and tourism through promotion of research, development, innovation and technology adoption.
- Increase the attractiveness of the existing tourist attraction sites through value addition, development and marketing.
PRIORITY AREAS
The priority areas include development and refurbishment of modern markets, Enhancement of value addition in manufacturing, Provision of Financing to SMEs and MSMIs, Construction of an Eco lodge, snake park and animal orphanage, establishment of IDCs and enforcement of fair trade practices and consumer protection.
Major achievements
These include:
- Development and refurbishment of six(6)modern markets-Phase I
- Establishment of Industrial Development Centers (IDCs) at Lurambi and Navakholo
- Construction of modern 254 Kiosks
- Developed Policies and guidelines for Disbursing Trade Development loans
- Identified an investor to construct an Eco lodge in Kakamega forest
- Identified land to develop an Industrial Park
- Organized Miss Tourism Kakamega and Miss Tourism Kenya.
- Initiated the development of Amaranth value addition factory
- Initiated the process of mapping and Gazettment of various sites as cultural heritage centers ( Crying stone)
- In the process of establishing snake park and animal orphanage
- Equipped 1000 local entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial skills.
- Trained business exporters from Kakamega County.
- Rehabilitation of Shirere slaughterhouse
Planned Activities
- Develop 8 modern markets-Phases II.
- Refurbishment of twelve (12) Markets
- Fabrication of 100 modern kiosks
- Construction of two(2) stock rings per sub county
- Construction of Jua kali sheds at Shichirai
- Rehabilitation of Khayega and Shinyalu slaughter houses
- Disbursement of Business Trade loans
- Construction of a cable car system and walk way in Kakamega forest.
- Construction of an eco-lodge β PPP process initiated.
- Construction of Amaranth value addition factory in Lugari.
- Fencing of Kakamega Forest
- Kakamega County Tourism week.
- Establishment of Oparanya manufacturing centers.
- County E-Innovations
The key constraints and challenges in Implementation of Development agenda
- Lack of Ministry Strategic Plan and service Charter Makes it difficult to plan.
- Inadequate skilled and qualified technical staff to implement the Ministry objectives. Currently the Ministry has only three (3) technical staff.
- Poor infrastructure/working equipment
- Slow/delayed procurement process
- Inadequate funding and delay in cash disbursements
- Complications relating to acquisition of land for investment.
- Lack of vehicles for the Ministryβs operations- currently the only vehicle attached to the Ministry is grounded in a garage.
Interventions undertaken/Required include:
- Requested the Cabinet to approve the recruitment of more suitable staff
- Put in place effective procurement systems and structures to enable effective and efficient project implementation.
- Increase in A-in-A generated
- Acquisition of modern office space and working equipment.
- Engaging the communities for project ownership and acceptance.
- Establishment of a land bank for purposes of acquiring land for investment
- Liaising with CDF to share resources/contribute towards project implementation e.g. CDF providing land while the county Government puts funds the investments.Β
