MINISTRY OF TRADE IN KENYA TO SUPPORT YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Ministry to support young entrepreneurs
Published on 08/08/2008
By Kenneth Kwama
The Ministry of Trade is working to create a policy to relax procurement rules to make it easier for young entrepreneurs to tender for Government jobs.
"Some of the rules like those that require people to have been in business for more than 10 years before being considered for Government tenders are unfair to young entrepreneurs and should be reviewed," said Mr Omingo Magara, Assistant Minister for Trade.
Magara spoke during the unveiling of the Global Entrepreneurship Week, which is set to take place from November 17-23. The concept is aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs who want to do business. The event will take place in more than 60 countries.
In Kenya, it will be co-ordinated by the Sacoma Centre for business enterprises, which says it hopes to create 10,000 new jobs for the youth by the end of the one-week event. "We are working with partners who are willing to support the youth in various ways like training, mentorship and start up capital. In the end, we hope this will enable young people to create their own businesses and employ people," said Ms Peres Ochieng’, CEO of Sacoma.

Youth Participation
The organisers expect thousands of youths from different districts to participate. Chris Spavin, the International Campaigns executive for the programme, lauded the idea as revolutionary to help the youth in developing countries take charge of their own destinies.
"It aims to inspire a movement of people and stakeholders to celebrate and engage in enterprising ideas and make them happen," said Spavin.
The idea was first mooted in the UK, with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown acting as patron of one of the founder organisations.
Magara said his ministry would provide the infrastructure necessary to support the initiative and also work on new policy to make the business environment friendlier to the youth.
He cited the many procedures required by procurement rules saying they were hostile to young entrepreneurs. He said some jobs like construction of feeder roads in rural areas could be given to the youth without necessarily going through the tendering process.
Other events lined up for the week include business ideas competition and campaigns for new policies geared at improving business environment for young people.