Kisumu County has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through targeted interventions aimed at boosting competitiveness, growth, and regional/global market access.
Key Highlights:
County Business Incubation and Innovation Centre: A hub for mentorship, market linkage, and skills development for startups and small businesses.
Access to Affordable Credit: Partnerships with financial institutions to support MSME growth.
Market Infrastructure Upgrades: Modernization of Kibuye Market and construction of new trading facilities in Kombewa, Chichwa, Korowe, and Uhuru Business Park.
Capacity Building: Collaborations with KEBS to train MSMEs on product quality, packaging, certification, and export readiness.
Digital Tax Support: Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) provided guidance on tax amnesty and the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System (e-TIMS) to ease compliance.
Challenges Highlighted by MSMEs:
High costs of KEBS certification limit access to formal markets.
Difficulty navigating digital application systems.
Barriers to accessing larger retail chains without proper documentation.
KEBS and the county government are responding by establishing support desks and hosting additional training sessions to address these challenges.
Deputy Governor Dr. Mathew Owili emphasized that MSMEs are vital for job creation, innovation, and resilience, and urged them to view standards and regulations as tools for regional and global competitiveness.