Eldoret: Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) has sensitised at least a hundred entrepreneurs from Turbo Sub County, Uasin Gishu on business policies so as to empower them with knowledge on existing regulations and support services. Through these initiatives, the MSEA aims to foster a more informed, compliant, and competitive MSME ecosystem in the country.
According to Kenya News Agency, Senior Assistant Director, Manufacturing and Agribusiness from MSEA, Tabitha Gicheru, highlighted during the 4th Business Policy Awareness forum in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, that MSEA’s policy forums are essential in educating Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) on key business policies, available government support, financial opportunities, market access, and the benefits of business formalisation. She emphasized the importance of unwinding policies to ensure beneficiaries understand both the challenges and benefits within the MSME ecosystem.
Gicheru noted that MSEA, in partnership with SNV and the IYBA SEED project, is conducting a 2-year pilot programme in Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, and Kisumu counties. This initiative aims to make MSE beneficiaries aware of the various benefits stakeholders bring into the ecosystem, such as market linkages, access to finance, and capacity building, to enhance their growth. The partnership focuses on empowering young businesses, particularly those owned by women, youth, and people with disabilities, to drive sustainable economic growth through targeted initiatives.
Nduta Ndirangu, Project Manager of Investing in Young Businesses in Africa – Supporting Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development (IYBA-SEED) at SNV, stated that they are collaborating with the authority to increase awareness of policies affecting SEED beneficiaries, including businesses owned by women, men, and youth. She revealed that many small businesses in the county face challenges due to legal and financial factors, including an unfriendly business environment. SNV is working with the county government to draft policies that enable these businesses to compete more favorably.
The forum also discussed the MSME Policy and Amendment Bill 2025, focusing on promoting an entrepreneurial culture and an enabling business environment. It highlighted the role of other stakeholders working with MSEA, such as the Women Enterprise Fund, Youth Enterprise Fund, Kenya Industrial Estate, Kenya Revenue Authority, county government, and Inkomoko, in supporting MSEs in areas like access to finance, tax compliance, standards and quality, business formalisation, and other MSEA-led government initiatives like NYOTA and KJET projects.
