Kenya to equip 47 industrial parks with Sh2.5 billion investment

The Kenyan government is accelerating the rollout of County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) to boost local manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports. President William Ruto announced that approximately Sh2.5 billion has been allocated to equip these facilities across all 47 counties with common-user infrastructure to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki stated that the government aims to commission 21 parks by March 2027, with eight expected to be operational by December 2026. The Meru County Aggregation and Industrial Park is slated to be the first to be commissioned by President Ruto this month. Other upcoming sites include parks in Embu, Kirinyaga, Garissa, Wajir, Migori, Kisii, and Busia.

Each facility will focus on products specific to its region's economic potential. For example, Meru and Embu will focus on macadamia value addition, Kirinyaga on tomato paste, Wajir on leather and camel milk, Garissa on sunflower oil, Migori on fish feed, Kisii on avocado oil, and Busia on cassava starch. The initiative seeks to create employment and increase income for farmers by providing local markets for agricultural and livestock products.