The President of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Dr. Eric Ruto has called for the Country to have one business permit which traders can use to conduct business in all its 47 counties.
The President said the permit will ease business operations saying the many inter county permits and levies traders in the country have to pay to conduct business from one county to another was raising the cost of production.
Speaking in Iten after a courtesy call to the County Executive Committee member for Trade, Robert Kangogo, Dr. Ruto said if the African continent already has the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which covers 54 countries creating a single market for the continent, then there is no reason why the country’s 47 counties cannot have one.
“We cannot be talking about the free continental trade area while a trader in the country must pay for permit before one can advertise or distribute one’s products in the different counties,” he said.
Dr. Ruto said following its MOU with Elgeyo Marakwet County, KNCCI had trained 650 youth on value addition in various value chains, market and market systems.
He said following a market survey by the county government which has already identified 178 cottage industries, the chamber would provide market access by connecting the county with business people from its 47 chapters who can offtake the products from the county.
He added that the chamber had a network of investors and suppliers of technology which it will use to upscale the 178 cottage industries through use of modern technology and equipment to enable them undertake value addition and later sell the products either within the country or outside.
He said KNNCI had a programme where it has partnered with its members to export 1,000 containers across Africa under the (AfCFTA) which they have already started with 35 containers saying manufacturers from the county should seize the opportunity and increase exports from the country.
He added that the Kenya government had signed an economic partnership agreement with the European Union (EU) which is tariff and quarter free for the next 25 years and appealed to traders in the county to tap into the EU market.
“We want all manufacturers to know that this opportunity is open to all and not just big businesses or those based in Nairobi,” he said.
He also called on the county government to partner with business people and have a pavilion at the World Chamber Federation conference to be held at KICC in Nairobi on April 9-11 to exhibit and showcase products from the county.
He said the organization through Master card was also advancing affordable loans to small businesses of between Sh.5, 000-100,000 while medium business can access between Sh.200, 000 – Sh.14 milllion.
By Alice Wanjiru and Joan Jelimo