Kisumu has been transformed into a regional business hub owing to its elaborate infrastructure consisting of railway, road, water and air means of transportation.
State Department for East Africa Community Principal Secretary Dr Kevit Desai has challenged the local business fraternity to fully exploit the huge economic potential if they hope to boost trade between Kenya and its partner states as they implement proposed policy changes.
Desai said business transactions between member states will be greatly boosted if the entire population standing at over 300 million promotes legal and positive trade practices.
He called upon farmers and other players in the agricultural sector to promote cotton growing if they hope to revamp the textile industry and put Kenya on the global map.
The PS called for developing the capacity of local residents through training and to help them readily access the market after ensuring that they uphold the requisite standards.
“We are looking forward to a way through which Kisumu would become a transactional hub in the region while attracting foreign development partners,” he emphasised.
Desai said Kenya has taken the bold step to institute new business strategies through pragmatic reforms aimed at faster issuance of licenses within 24hours.
He stated that the government was keen on improving the port system in Mombasa, Naivasha and Kisumu apart from instituting other necessary reforms.
Fanuel Kidenda, head of the Directorate of Business Reforms and Transformation in the State Department for EAC appealed to Kenyan traders to produce quality products able to compete favourably on the global scale.
Kidenda called for consistent changes in our tax reforms to be in tandem with the global practices and abandon those that hinder the growth of the local business and manufacturing sector.
Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), Kisumu chapter Chairman, Israel Agina said time was ripe to improve lake transport so as to boost the volume of cargo destined for the neighbouring partner states and tilt the trade in Kenya’s favour.
Agina urged cotton farmers to take up the challenge of growing new crops since the World Bank has released funds for training them on the new technologies such as BT cotton to boost yields by curbing cotton borer and other pests.
By Fleiss Akoko and Samwel Oyugi
