Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) Kericho branch has so far registered and formalized a total of twenty-three associations spread across the four sectors of agribusiness, manufacturing, trade, and service transforming the livelihoods of entrepreneurs within the County.
According to the County Enterprise Development Officer Mitchel Aburilli, MSEA has also assisted businesses within the County to navigate regulatory frameworks and obtain official recognition, enhancing their credibility and access to financing opportunities.
Ms. Aburili who spoke to KNA was optimistic that MSEA’s initiatives would promote numerous informal enterprises into the formal economy, fostering growth and stability.
She said formalization and registration of MSEs stood out as foundational steps in the county’s economic strategy noting that sensitization was ongoing to encourage more MSEs on-boarded on the Registrar’s database.
Aburilli explained that MSEA was also implementing key government programs aimed at mainstreaming the contribution of Micro Small Enterprises to the realization of the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda including the marketing of products which she said was crucial in expanding market reach both locally and beyond.
According to the Enterprise Development Officer, MSEs within the county have benefitted from a myriad of access to markets through exhibitions and trade fairs saying the opportunities created a platform for interaction and exchange of ideas and experiences locally, and internationally to expose their products to new markets.
“In December 2023, MSEA through collaborations with the County Government of Kericho was able to facilitate the participation of 4 MSEs to attend the 23rd EAC Trade Fair in Bujumbura, Burundi. A total of other 42 MSEs have been facilitated to attend and participate at local exhibitions within the county.” Added Aburili
She disclosed that MSEA had refurbished and operationalized the four Constituency Industrial Development Centers (CIDCs) and three worksites within the County as part of MSEA’s plan for worksite development to promote industrial activity in constituencies where such structures are located.
“Some of these CIDCs are well equipped with common user machines that enable the MSEs to produce cheap quality products,” Said Aburili
Aburili pointed out that the MSEA Kericho County Office had also been able to collaborate with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) in hosting a stakeholder awareness workshop on product certification for increased market access where MSEs were enlightened on quality assurance and the significance of the KEBS standards mark.
“We have also been carrying out youth empowerment through apprenticeship programs around the County where unskilled youth have been empowered with technical skills from master-craftsmen within the Jua Kali artisans’ sector after which successfully they are issued certificates on areas trained on such as welding, hair and beauty, spray painting among others,” said Aburili.
By Kibe Mburu and Zipporah Njambi
