Uasin Gishu County to Host Annual Women in MSMEs and Cooperatives Conference

The Uasin Gishu County government, under the leadership of Governor Jonathan Bii, has announced that it will be holding an annual Women in MSMEs and Cooperatives Conference. This decision is part of the Governor’s agenda to accelerate trade and entrepreneurship for economic transformation, which is outlined in his agenda number four.

The conference, which was inaugurated on Tuesday in Eldoret, brought together over 500 cooperators, traders, and stakeholders. Governor Bii reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting cooperatives and MSMEs, noting that they are the backbone of the economy. He also announced that his administration will review the lending guidelines to allow cooperatives to borrow up to Ksh 10 million.

Uasin Gishu County has 775 registered cooperatives with a membership of over 120,000 members. These cooperatives have accumulated Kshs. 2.3 billion in deposits and have an asset base of Kshs. 5.8 billion. In the last financial year, the cooperatives had a turnover of Kshs. 1.8 billion.

Governor Bii outlined a number of initiatives that his administration is taking to support cooperatives and MSMEs. These initiatives include:

Enhancing capacity building
Reviving dormant cooperatives
Engaging in value addition
Developing infrastructure
Adhering to the 30 percent Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO)
Providing affordable financing through the County Inua Biashara Fund, targeting the MSMEs

The Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and Micro and Small Enterprise, Simon Chelugui, also spoke at the conference. He noted that his Ministry will work closely with counties to support cooperative societies and promote women in businesses. He also announced that his Ministry, through a funding kitty, has a potential of lending out monies of up to Ksh 20million per society.

During the forum, the county government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with I choose Life Africa, led by CEO Mike Mutungi. Under this agreement, county MSMEs will benefit from capacity building initiatives and other important programs.

Conclusion

The Uasin Gishu County government is taking a number of steps to support women in MSMEs and cooperatives. These initiatives are expected to help these businesses grow and create jobs. The annual Women in MSMEs and Cooperatives Conference is one of the ways that the county government is engaging with these businesses and providing them with the support they need to succeed.