Innovation key to ensuring Kenya’s economic growth, says Uhuru

President Uhuru Kenyatta and fellow panellist Dr Monicah Makau of Strathmore University during the launch of Global Entrepreneurship Summit at the institution, yesterday. [PHOTO: TABITHA OTWORI/STANDARD]

President Uhuru Kenyatta has challenged the youth to be innovative, saying Kenya is a vibrant nation seeking to thrive in a fast-evolving global context.

He said his government is focused on using innovation and entrepreneurship to power economic growth and expand opportunities.

The President was speaking yesterday at the Strathmore Business School where he presided over the launch of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit ahead of the July event which he is to co-chair with US President Barack Obama.

“It is the only way to accelerate our journey to a newly industrialised, upper-middle-income status nation and is central to my government’s national socio-economic transformational agenda,” said Uhuru.

The event brought together youth entrepreneurs for an interactive discussion on ways to improve the business, innovation and entrepreneurial environment in the country.

“This event comes at an opportune time for emerging economies such as our own. The innovation and entrepreneurship in this country reminds me of individuals such as Ngugi Wa Thiong’o. Kenya is ready to support entrepreneurs and innovators. There is no reason why Kenyans cannot lead in innovation and entrepreneurship,” said President Kenyatta.

The President said Kenya’s interest in innovation and entrepreneurship is not new.

He said, during a recent meeting at State House, renowned scholar and author Prof Thiong’o had reminded him of a young man called Maurice Gacamba who years ago built his own plane, which flew for a short distance, before crashing.

“There is no reason why Kenya cannot lead the region, and the continent in innovation and entrepreneurship. Our people are no less diligent, no less innovative, than any other,” the President said.

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru, who also attended the event, said Africa’s rise is real. “We have economies growing faster than any other in the world. This is evidenced by the fact that more than 50 per cent of the continent registers a GDP growth of more than five per cent annually.”

The President said the Government has funds to support new enterprises, especially those owned or run by the youth, women or persons living with disability.

He said the Government is committed to removing obstacles blocking the youth from fully exploiting their talents.

The President said the Government has also embraced e-procurement to ensure transparency in the award of tenders. “The Government – as the largest consumer of goods and services – will ensure the right people benefitted from the 30 per cent procurement rule,” the President said.

He said measures are being taken to ensure that 40 per cent of Government procurements are from local productions.

The President challenged the private sector to pay attention to the innovative potential in the country, saying young innovations are getting more recognition outside than locally.

President Kenyatta said the Government would organise a public-private sector interactive forum after the July summit in support of young innovation. “I will chair the interactive forum in person,” the President assured.

On human resource, President Kenyatta said policies in the education sector would continue to be reviewed to meet the demands of the job market.

He noted that some jobs were allocated to foreigners because the country lacked specialists in those fields.

“Specialised welders are being imported to the country because we lack such expertise and earn $40,000 (Sh3.9 million) while white-collar job holders cannot earn half that kind of money,” the President said.

missed event

Other areas covered during the plenary session included involvement of the private sector in power generation to meet cheap electricity needs in the country.

According to the Africa Development Bank, the natural wealth of Africa is projected to earn $30 billion (Sh2.9 trillion) per annum.

Meanwhile, President Kenyatta criticised three cabinet secretaries for skipping the forum.

The three who snubbed the meeting included Cabinet Secretaries Prof Jacob Kaimenyi (Education), Industrialisation’s Adan Mohammed and Treasury secretary Henry Rotich.

“I am only here with Anne Waiguru. Rotich should be here, Kaimenyi should also be here, but they are nowhere to be seen. But when there are deals to be made with foreigners, you will see them rushing there. That should stop,” President Kenyatta said.