Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Busia chapter has challenged the government to consider the local investors in the proposed export processing zones and industrial parks at Nasewa and the Agricultural training centre in Busia.
According to the chamber chairperson Mr Silvanus Abungu as much as they encourage investors from outside the country to invest in Busia, a certain percentage of investments should be set aside for local investors especially those in small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs)
“We are pushing for some percentage of investments at the industrial park at ATC to be managed and run by some of our local small and medium entrepreneurs especially those in the manufacturing sector and other the percentage should be managed by the international inventors,” said Mr Abungu
While addressing the delegates after their annual general meeting in Busia, Mr Abungu said that as a chamber they will push for public-private partnerships to elevate the economy of the county.
“What we need as a chamber is to push for the local entrepreneurs to work on a section of the industrial park at ATC and Export processing zones. This will also open more than 20,000 job opportunities to our people which will circulate the money in Busia reducing the poverty index in the county,” he noted
His sentiments were echoed by the director of women in business at the chamber Ms Elizabeth Salome adding that EPZ and the industrial park in Busia, will bridge the economic gap that was created during covid 19 pandemic which affected cross-border business.
“As a chamber, we are happy with the idea of the EPZ and industrial park. It will provide job opportunities that were affected during covid19 which impacted negatively on cross-border businesses,” she said
Representative of the youths at the chamber Ms Conex Mwaro promised to mobilize youths to join the chamber to elevate themselves economically and to promote businesses in Busia.
“As we plan to roll out programs such as Export processing zones and industrial parks in Busia as youths we need to prepare ourselves to take over the leadership of the chamber and to promote business and by doing so we will address the employment issues affecting our youths,” she said