Vision:
To be a facilitator in catalyzing competitive growth of Trade, Cooperatives and Investments.
Mission:
To provide an enabling business environment through appropriate incentives, innovation and support to promote trade, Industry and viable cooperative for job and wealth creation.
1. Enhance fair trade and economic empowerment.
2. Improve business environment and promote active investment climate.
3. Promote co-operative societies development and investments.
4. Promote Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and value-addition in industries.
5. Facilitate innovation and adoption of modern technologies and practices.
6. Spearheading the branding process and safeguarding the corporate image of the county.
Trade
- The implementation of the national Trade policy.
- Promotion of investments.
- Trade licensing and regulations.
- Provision of business development support services.
- Coordination and development of micro, small and medium business engaged in trade.
- Development of wholesale and retail trade.
- Management of credit scheme for micro and small business.
- Collection of business information and management of county business information centres.
- Promotion of export business and domesticating bilateral and regional agreements.
- Advocacy for the provision of market infrastructure.
- Promotion and facilitation of the intra, inter-county trade, and cross border trade.
- Management of county physical markets and regulation of hawking activities.
- Promotion of e-commerce.
- Conduct of trade fair/exhibitions and facilitating trade mission in the county.
- Promotion of consumer protection.
Branding & Marketing
- Spearhead the overall county branding process , safeguard and improve the overall county corporate image
- Develop and execute all branding and marketing initiatives for Kitui County including creation of all branding and marketing materials, lead in marketing research and customer surveys
- In collaboration with all county ministries develop, advise, guide and take lead in all their respective branding and marketing activities
- Actively participate and lead in all county marketing and brand enhancing activities such as Trade Fairs, Exhibitions, Sales conferences, DevCons etc
- Design, create and maintain harmonized and consistent Kitui county brand.
Co-operatives
- Promotion of cooperative societies..
- Processing of application for registration.
- Inspection and investigations.
- Training needs assessment for cooperative movement.
- Market information dissemination and advisory services.
- Banking inspections in local saving and credit cooperative societies.
- Risk assessment in saving and credit cooperative societies.
- Investment advisory services.
- Coordination and monitoring of cooperative indemnity by cooperative leaders.
- Promotion of cooperative ventures and innovations for local cooperatives.
- Carrying out certification audits.
- Carry out continuous and compliance audits.
- Co-operative advisory services.
- Pre-cooperative education.
- Settlement of disputes(arbitration).
- Registration of c-operative society audited accounts
Weights & Measures
- Promotion of fair trade practices.
- Verification of weighing and measuring instruments.
- Inspection of weighing and measuring instruments and pre-packed goods.
- Investigation of complaints relating to unfair trade practices and prosecution of offenses arising from unfair trade practices.
County Enterprise Development
- Enhance the capacity of MSEs to promote the generation of incomes and employment.
- Enhance MSEs capacity to access markets and market information.
- Develop and improve MSEs infrastructure.
- Coordination of policies, strategies, and programs for support of the MSEs sector.
- Develop and implement entrepreneurship promotion programs.
- Assist in the acquisition of land for MSEs use.
- Link MSEs to a financial organization for credit facilitation.
- Organize Jua-kali exhibitions and trade fairs to showcase their products and innovations.
- Develop and implement the national and county MSEs policy.
- County Enterprise Fund – The objective of the fund is to improve financial inclusion and deepening. This will have a great impact on the community with the target beneficiaries being visionary women and youth groups that require support. Draft bill for the fund in place awaiting approval
During the implementation of CIDP II from 2017 to 2022, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, MSMEs, Innovation, and Cooperatives has achieved significant milestones in promoting competitiveness and inclusive growth. The following are the key accomplishments of the Ministry during this period:
Cooperative promotion and development
The cooperative program aimed to increase the number of registered cooperative societies. The baseline was set at 205 in 2017, and the target was 305 by 2022. However, the program was affected by tough precautionary measures to contain COVID-19, including the suspension of AGMs, committee management meetings, and public gatherings, which affected service delivery. As a result, the program achieved a total of 356 registered cooperative societies.
In addition to increasing the number of registered cooperative societies, the program aimed to increase membership, improve management, enhance transparency and accountability, and improve leadership and governance. The program surpassed its target of increasing the number of registered cooperative society’s members from 60,321 to 82,511, and active cooperative societies from 146 to 267.
Trade and Investment
The Trade and Investment program aimed to improve the legal and policy environment, construct modern market infrastructure, renovate markets, and improve the jua kali sheds/sites. It also aimed to improve livestock markets, establish cottage industries, provide capacity building for MSMEs, improve access to affordable credit, enforce weights and measures, promote honey processing, construct and rehabilitate county abattoirs, and purchase livestock trucks. The program achieved some of its targets, such as the establishment of four cottage industries against the target of two and surpassing the target for the MSMEs Fund (County Empowerment Fund), with 2,814 loans issued against the target of 620. However, it did not meet most of its targets due to insufficient funds, including the construction of modern market infrastructure, improvement of jua kali sheds/sites, improvement of livestock markets, purchase of livestock trucks, and honey processing.
Capacity building of cooperative officials and members
The programme aimed to improve the capacity of cooperative officials and members to effectively manage the affairs of their societies. The target was to train 7,500 cooperative officials and members by 2022, with a baseline of 2,500 in 2017. However, only 2,300 officials and members were trained, indicating that the target was not achieved due to insufficient funding.
Cooperative Marketing and Value Addition
The programme aimed to increase the income of cooperative societies by promoting marketing and value addition activities. The target was to establish two cottage industries for value addition by 2022, with a baseline of zero in 2017. However, the target was surpassed as four
cottage industries were established due to a change in priority.
Due to limited financing and resources, the Trade and Investment and Cooperative programs have had mixed success in reaching their goals. However, because to shifts in priorities, certain goals were exceeded. The implementation of various initiatives was also hampered by constraints related to understaffing, staff movement, and logistical problems. To ensure that the remaining targets are met by 2022, the County should prioritize allocating resources to these programs.
County Government of Kitui
Tana Athi Water Services Board
Building, Ground Floor
P.O. Box 33 – 90200,
Kitui
0702 615 888
