Conversion of export processing zone into a special economic zone will go along way in boosting Kenyas Chances of achieving vision 2030 and the anticipated economic growth rate of 10%.

Speaking during his familiarization tour of the Export processing Zone Authority the permanent secretary in the ministry of trade Abdulrazaq Ali said the necessary action has been taken and the only thing remaining is drafting the bill.

However the PS advised the officials at the EPZA not only to think about attracting the investors but also to consider changing the mind set of the local workers.  Engineer Abdulrazaq urged the EPZA officials to consider training its employees in order to boost their knowledge base on industrial relation and work performance.

He asked the officials of the EPZA to also consider distributing the benefits of the organization to other parts of the country instead of concentrating in Nairobi and Mombasa cities.

The EPZA board Chairman Mr. Mathenge Wanderi said that the opening of Comesa Market is likely to impact negatively on the EPZA investors as the law would require them to sell 20% of their products.  

He asked the government to negotiate this upwards to 70% before signing the agreement as failure to do so would lead to lose of both revenue and employment opportunities.

Opening of the Comesa Market would mean that all goods from the EPZA based industries would get into the Comesa member countries as local products and not exports. The current law requires that investors under EPZA sell only 20% of their products in the local market.

 7th October 2009
FRANCIS MUCHIRI
CHIEF PUBLIC RELATION OFFICER