Richard Muteti hands the SME Handbook to His Excellency Mr. Wamkele Mene Secretary General – AfCFTA Secretariat:

 Richard Muteti CEO of the Confederation of Informal Sector Organizations East Africa and Jua Kali Sector Federation in kenya Hands the SME Handbook to His Excellency Mr. Wamkele Mene Secretary General – AfCFTA Secretariat on the sidelines of the Employers’ Annual Conference 2022.The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) seeks to create a single market for goods and services in order to deepen the economic integration of Africa.

Richard Muteti hands over tools of trade to young entrepreneurs in Makueni

Richard Muteti the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya National Federation of Jua Kali Associations Handing over tools of trade to at least 184 young entrepreneurs in Makueni County to start and grow their businesses in the Jua Kali/MSMEs sector under the "Ujuzi Teke Teke"(Skills on the go) Youth Empowerment Programme in Makueni County with H. E. Governor Kivutha Kibwana,. Ujuzi Teketeke is a 8-week youth life skills training initiative where learners are attached to established craftsmen for on-the-job training to equip young people with industrial skills.Those who successfully complete the training are issued start-up kits to start their own biz. The programme is supported by the National Industrial Training Authority & Kenya National Federation of Juakali Association. Areas of focus include:Catering, Barber and salon, Mechanics, Plumbing, Carpentry, Masonry, Photography & video production, Agribusiness, Tailoring &Welding. A Youth Empowerment Programme, targeting hundreds of young people in the informal sector                        

Richard Muteti honored in Kenya

Mr. Richard Muteti was honored by the National Jua Kali Sector leadership for his service to the Jua Kali sector in Kenya at a national leaders’ conference in Naivasha, November 2021

Mr. Muteti received the certificate of Honor for 15 years of outstanding leadership, valuable contribution and exemplary service and dedication to the growth, development and promotion of the Jua Kali/MSMEs Sector in Kenya for the period of 2005-2021

During this period, Muteti has been involved with the creation of the 4K MSE 2030 Initiative, a mass production initiative of dignified products by the Jua Kali sector, championed and advocated for the MSE Bill that was enacted into MSE Act 2012, that led to the establishment of the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority in Kenya, has championed the relationship between the technical and vocational Institutions and the Jua Kali artisans, conceptualized and produced the first series of the SME Handbook in Kenya and has been Managing the East African Community Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Trade Fairs for the six EAC Partner States since 2008 meant to open up the regional market to small businesses& integrate the EAC, and was elected as the Chairman of the COMESA Business Council SMEs Work-Group among other notable achievements  

HON. DR. PETER MATHUKI , EAC SG MEETS REGIONAL MSMEs SECTOR LEADERS

Richard Muteti CMSEO-EA and Jua Kali Sector CEO, leads a meeting between the East African Community Secretary General Hon. Dr. Peter Mathuki and EAC regional representatives of the Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) Sector in a high level meeting led by the Confederation of Micro and Small Enterprises Organization East Africa (CMSEO-EA).

A number of issues were deliberated on, including enhancing support for the Annual EAC MSMEs Trade Fair that brings together thousands of MSEs to open up market frontiers, promote cross border trade, closing the gaps in trade and promotes dialogue between regional small businesses among others. The participants agreed to work together to create a mechanism and instruments that addresses a regional MSMEs policy, access to affordable credit, strengthening MSEs visibility and the need for mass vaccinations to the small business owners who cross the regional borders every day. The EAC SG thanked the MSEs sector for being resilient during this pandemic period by continuing to create jobs and opportunities. The EAC SG was accompanied by the EAC Director General, Customs and Trade among other officials while CMSEO-EA was represented by the Chapter leaders from the six EAC Partner States and Richard Muteti, the CMSEO-EA and Jua Kali Sector CEO

Richard Muteti the MSMEs and Jua Kali Sector Chief attends the EAC EABC CEOs Breakfast meeting in Nairobi

calling for the development, promotion and certification of informal/MSMEs sector skills in the EAC region to improve their competitiveness and productivity. “we must prepare the MSMEs Sector players to take advantage of the African continental free trade area- during the EABC CEO breakfast roundtable with EAC Secretary General - Kenyan Chapter held today 06/08/2021

MSMEs constitute more than 80 percent of all total jobs in EAC region

Richard Muteti EAC Regional MSMEs and Jua Kali Sector Chief attends an EASTRIP Meeting in Addis, Ethiopia in July 2021

Three East African countries are participating in the Eastern Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP), i.e. Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. The project supports the development of highly specialized Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs as well as industry-recognized short term certificate level training, and is targeting regional priority sectors in transport, energy, manufacturing and ICT / the project promotes the mobility of students and faculty within and beyond the region and will establish a community of practice of TVET in the region. A quality demand-driven TVET system can be a powerful engine for youth skills development leading to employment and poverty alleviation

Mr. Richard Muteti is also the Chairman of the COMESA Business Council SMEs Work-Group

Richard Muteti and Makueni County Government youth empowerment

Richard Muteti, the Jua kali sector chief in Kenya leads the youth empowerment programme in Makueni County where Jua Kali Federation and National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) partners to empower and promote entrepreneurship and creation of jobs for the youth in Makueni,

the Jua Kali Associations Worksites in Makueni will be used as assessment centers for the training programmes, MSEA has constructed and refurbished the Jua Kali constituency industrial development centers