According to Kenya’s Trade and Industrialisation cabinet secretary, Peter Munya, the government will launch the centres at Othaya, Nyeri County at the end of the month. He said the initial 35 constituencies were ready to go, and that the programme will later be rolled out to the remaining constituencies.
Munya called on county governments to work closely with their national counterparts in order to make the programme successful. He also stated that the government would start to guarantee commercial loans issued to SMEs by banks to save financially depressed SMEs and unlock their potential.
This means SMEs will start accessing credit without being subjected to complex application procedures and collateral requirements. He also announced an SME policy that will lay the plans for operations of SMES as well as guide county governments on setting investment units.
Acting Kiambu governor James Nyoro, has also announced plans to revive the tannery and leather manufacturing plants. He said the county was looking for 50-acre of land in and around Thika town in order to set up a leather manufacturing plant.
He said the revival of the sector would turn around Thika’s economy, create jobs and boost manufacturing.
“Our priority is to revive the leather industry and therefore we are sourcing for 50 acres in Thika to put up tanneries and leather manufacturing plants to produce shoes for our armed forces and the general public, handbags, car seats, cushions, jackets, leather garments and even industrial gloves,” said Nyoro.
