Counties crucial in new transformation chapter

Kiambu has always been crucial in Kenya’s story. It is the fastest urbanising county, second only to Nairobi in contribution to GDP and production of goods and services to the national economy.

Though 60 per cent urbanised, its agricultural sector is a leader in coffee, tea, pineapples, macadamia nuts, vegetables, flowers and poultry, pig and fish farming. Githunguri Sub-County is a ranking milk producer and Wangige one of the largest egg markets.

These outstanding facts, however, get downplayed by corruption allegations, domestic violence, irresponsible drinking and controversial governors as seen by the impeachment of Ferdinand Waititu and the electoral defeat of William Kabogo. But the narrative is changing. Today, Kiambu leads in agenda and policy-based conversations—and it is not politics centred on personalities.

The youthful business community in the county tend to live in the shadows of Nairobi. Kiambu is jokingly referred to as the capital city’s “bedroom”—a nuance warmly welcomed owing to the benefits from infrastructure investment and a huge market .

On the ease of doing business, simple things like trade permits, infrastructure, distance to social amenities and supporting infrastructure on the ground tend to be overlooked and must instead focus on foreign investors’ experience or taxation regimes.

I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised to be invited to Kiambu’s first ever innovation week earlier this year. The event sought to mobilise youth-led SMEs in a bid to celebrate their success in running their enterprises.

There were mind-lowing innovations in boda boda technology, Covid-19 mitigation, health diagnostics, weather prediction, farm automation, value addition in agribusiness and technology product manufacturing, among others. The young innovators also got to interact with the captains of industry, financial service providers and the public, giving them the exposure necessary for scaling up their enterprises.

To provide access to affordable credit—a key discussion point—Governor James Nyoro launched the Sh1.3 billion Jiinue Fund, in which KCB Bank provides funds to individuals and start-ups hitherto hard-pressed by the effects of the pandemic and, hence, greatly in need of capital. The county government acts as the guarantor with Sh138 million collateral. It gives low-interest loans—at seven per cent as opposed to 13 per cent—and loan guarantees to businesses. The fund offers group loans of up to Sh300,000, sacco loans (Sh1 million), start-up financing (Sh150,000) and existing MSMEs financing (Sh1 million).

In the devolution environment, it’s important to look at every county’s ease of doing business in a clustered local context. The impact of the Innovation Week and the Jiinue Fund will continue to be felt in Kiambu for many years to come.

Carolyne Mwangi, Kiambu