Principal Secretary for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Susan Mang’eni has challenged professionals, entrepreneurs and investors from Nyanza and Western Kenya to harness the regions’ vast economic potential and transform them into major engines of national growth.Ms Mang’eni said the regions, which have played a significant role in Kenya’s political struggles, must now prioritise economic empowerment through entrepreneurship, investment, industrialisation and job creation.
Speaking during a business conference for Nyanza professionals and investors at Nairobi Club, the PS described the two regions as “sleeping economic giants” whose resources, talent and business opportunities remain largely untapped.
“The political liberation has been achieved. The next frontier is economic liberation,” she said, urging professionals to involve young people in entrepreneurship and investment.
She highlighted opportunities available through government programmes and development partners, including the World Bank, to support enterprise growth and stimulate investment in the region.
Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) National Director Ken Onditi, who convened the forum, called on professionals, business leaders and residents to redirect investments towards their home counties.
Mr Onditi said the region needed deliberate strategies to unlock its economic potential and create opportunities for young people through enterprise development and business incubation.
“Enough is enough. We must lay a solid foundation to accelerate opportunities for the younger generation through incubation,” he said.
He also emphasised the need to expand economic opportunities for women, noting that inclusive participation was essential to sustainable regional growth.
KNCCI Nairobi Director Dr Maxwell Okoth urged businesspeople to explore investment opportunities in Nyanza instead of concentrating their resources in established markets outside the region.
He cited rising land values as an indicator of growing economic prospects and pointed to the proposed Lake Victoria Ring Road as a major infrastructure project expected to improve connectivity, trade, tourism and investment.“The opportunities in Nyanza are huge,” Dr Okoth said.
Utalii College Chief Executive Officer Mark Rachuonyo challenged professionals to turn underutilized properties in their rural homes into income generating ventures, particularly in tourism and hospitality.
He said the region could benefit from the anticipated growth in travel and tourism as infrastructure improves around Lake Victoria.Mr Rachuonyo argued that professionals should consider investing in accommodation facilities and other hospitality businesses rather than concentrating their capital in Nairobi’s increasingly competitive high end property market.
“We have been professionals for long enough. We must now be investors,” he said.He added that the planned Lake Victoria Ring Road, expected to connect areas from Busia County towards Muhuru Bay in Migori County, presented an opportunity to open up new economic corridors across the region.
KNCCI President Dr Eric Rutto said Nyanza had the potential to contribute up to Sh1.2 trillion annually to Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product if its resources were effectively developed.He identified agriculture and agro processing as key sectors capable of driving this transformation.
Dr Rutto cited reported demand from China for up to five million metric tonnes of cassava flour, with an indicative value of Sh260 billion at Sh52,000 per tonne.
He said developing the cassava value chain could create opportunities for farmers, processors, traders and exporters while strengthening the region’s agricultural economy.
Auditor General Emeritus Dr Edward Ouko called for a coordinated economic transformation agenda that would promote industrialisation and attract investment into Nyanza.
Dr Ouko, who chairs the Kisumu Lakefront Development Corporation, said the Kisumu lakefront held significant investment potential.
He disclosed that the corporation was working with the African Development Bank to position Kisumu as an investment hub.
Apicotech Director George Mboya said the boda boda sector alone generates an estimated Sh20 billion annually in Homa Bay County, demonstrating the scale of economic activity that could be strengthened through better organisation and investment.
He expressed concern that many young people continued to migrate to Nairobi in search of employment and business opportunities, arguing that Nyanza needed to establish more local enterprises and industries to retain its skilled workforce.
Women entrepreneur Dr Pamela Olet called for greater support for the dairy industry in the Lake Victoria Basin, describing it as an underdeveloped value chain with considerable potential to generate income and employment.
Siaya based fashion designer Akinyi urged stakeholders to establish reliable market arrangements for cotton farmers, saying structured purchasing agreements would encourage production and ensure that farmers benefit from the textile value chain.
The conference concluded with calls for professionals, investors and policymakers to work together in building a stronger regional economy through value addition, business incubation, tourism, agriculture and manufacturing.
Participants emphasised that sustainable transformation would require more than remittances to rural households, urging professionals to invest directly in enterprises capable of creating jobs, generating wealth and supporting local communities.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of empowering women and young people to participate in business ownership and benefit from emerging investment opportunities.
For Nyanza and Western Kenya, the central message was that political influence must now be matched by economic progress, with local resources and professional expertise mobilised to create a more prosperous future.
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