Before assuming office in 2022, the Kenya Kwanza coalition promised to implement reforms that would enhance the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP from 7.6 to 15 percent by 2027.
Two years into power, it is very discouraging to see foreign real estate developers being allowed to import building materials that can be produced and sourced locally, such as paint products. Already, local manufacturers are grappling with several challenges including the high cost of energy, low mechanisation, high taxes and poor access to markets that are stifling their competitiveness.
