PS Mukhwana Leads National Assembly Committee Visit to Nyando Industrial Centres

Principal Secretary, State Department for Industry, Dr. Juma Mukhwana, hosted the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives during an oversight visit to the Nyando Apparel and Textile Value Addition Centre and the Constituency Industrial Development Centre (CIDC) in Kisumu County.

The Committee, led by Vice Chairperson Hon. Maryanne Kettany, MP for Aldai Constituency, inspected the two facilities to assess their completion status and establish the interventions required to operationalize them.

The Nyando Apparel and Textile Value Addition Centre, whose construction commenced in 2021, is part of Government's strategic interventions under the National Cotton, Textile and Apparel agenda aimed at revitalizing the textile sector and promoting local value addition. The facility is designed to support knitting, embroidery, sewing, hemming, designing and screen printing. Although the structure has been completed, the centre is yet to be equipped with the machinery and other essential enablers required for operations.

Hon. Kettany underscored the need to operationalize the facility to ensure value for public investment and enable the local community to benefit from employment and business opportunities. 

Dr. Mukhwana noted that the Government is committed to bringing manufacturing and value addition closer to communities, in line with the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) approach.

The Committee also inspected the CIDC, managed by the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA). The centre is intended to provide shared manufacturing facilities, common-user machinery, capacity building and business support to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). However, the facility is yet to become operational due to inadequate power, machinery and other key enablers.

Local Jua Kali groups, traders and members of the business community welcomed the Government's intervention and appealed for the centres to be operationalized to provide formal working spaces, enhance value addition and create employment opportunities.

As a way forward, Dr. Mukhwana directed Mary Kalerwa, Regional Industrial Development Officer (RIDO), Kisumu, to establish a secretariat comprising representatives from MSEA, the Office of the MP for Nyando Constituency, the State Department for Private Investment and Partnerships and the State Department for Industry. The secretariat will explore modalities for operationalising the facility, including the proposed leasing arrangement, with a view to generating income and creating employment opportunities for the local community.

Also present were Nyando Deputy County Commissioner Mr. Elijah Maraga, Onjiko Location Chief Mr. Tom Otieno, officials from MSEA, representatives of Nyando-Ahero Jua Kali traders and other members of the business community.