East African Business Council gets a new Executive Director

Andrew Luzze Kaggwa is the new EABC Executive Director During the 51st Executive Committee Meeting held in Arusha, the EABC Board of Directors bid farewell to Agatha Nderitu the former Executive Director of EABC and introduced the new Executive Director Mr. Andrew Luzze Kaggwa. Agatha handed over the leadership at the Council after serving for four and half years as a trail of praises flocked in for her excellent, exemplary, dedicated and inspiring leadership from the EABC board, staff, the business community, EABC partners and the EAC secretariat Andrew Luzze brings to EABC a wealth of technical and leadership experience acquired during his service as Policy Analyst at EABC working on EAC integration issues and the Tripartite process, as Policy Research and Advocacy Officer at Uganda Manufacturers Association and many other previous engagements he has been involved in. Andrew Luzze holds a Master’s Degree in Economic Policy and Planning and a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Hons) in Economics all from Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. In his acceptance speech, the incoming Executive Director outlined the key objectives that he and his team would be taking forward in line with the EABC five year strategic plan. Key amongst these will be continuing to strengthen the capacity of the secretariat, ensuring that EABC remains the driver of policy at regional level and within the tripartite process, working towards increasing EABC visibility and increasing value added services to members. He reiterated the need to wided EABC membership base to support the small and medium enterprises in order to make the voice of the private sector even in EAC even stronger. He looked forward to working closely with all EABC stakeholders including the EAC Partner States, EAC Secretariat, EAC Organs and Institutions, and relevant Ministries, departments, Civil Society Organizations, non-governmental organizations, educational institutions and organizations representing the youths in the region among others.

BURUNDI TO HOST THE 13TH JUA KALI / NGUVU KAZI EXHIBITION

The EAC Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi Exhibition is an annual regional event organized by the Partner States of the East African Community (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi) in collaboration with the apex bodies of the EAC regional MSE sector organizations This year's Exhibition is scheduled to be held from 2nd to 9th December 2012 at the Musee Vivant de Bujumbura in Bujumbura, Burundi. Over the years, the exhibition has become an important avenue for promotion of products, transfer of technology and enhancement of the social-economic integration of the people of East Africa. The theme for the 13th EAC Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi Exhibition is; ‘’Promoting Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi through innovation, competitiveness, investments and Private Public Partnerships’’ The number of exhibitors is expected to be seven hundred (700) distributed as follows; Burundi - 200 Kenya - 185 Tanzania - 185 Uganda - 70 Rwanda - 60 The MSE Exhibitors will be identified by the Country Umbrella MSE Associations in collaboration with the Country Organizing Committees Chaired by the Respective Ministry Responsible for Small Business Development in the respective EAC Partner States.

Maasai Market opens at City Mall Nakumat Nyali in Mombasa.

The management of the City Mall Nakumat Nyali in Mombasa in collaboration with the leadership of the MSE Sector has agreed to promote women entrepreneurs by establishing a Maasai market at City Mall Nakumat Nyali in Mombasa. The market will provide an opportunity to the MSEs to sale and showcase their products and services to the various clienteles who visit the Mall including the tourists. The market provides an opportunity for 100 small traders to participate every Wednesday and Thursday we take this opportunity to thank the management of the City Mall Nyali For according this Economic opportunity to our Small Business Owners majority of whom are women.

South Africa Government Delegation Visits the MSE Sector in Kenya.

Officials from the Department of Trade and Industry from South Africa are in the country to learn on how Kenya is handling the informal economic sector with special emphasis on the Micro and Small Industries (Jua Kali Sector). South Africa has identified Kenya as one of the strategic countries to learn from due to the fact that it is confronted by almost similar economic challenges as south Africa. The delegation headed by Mr. Stephen Umlaw (Dir. EDU) visited the Ministry of Trade in Kenya on the 9th July 2012 and met several officials including the Export Promotion Council. They also visited the metal fabrication sub- sector of the Jua Kali sector and are scheduled to visit other MSE Clusters in Nairobi including the Wood Work and Carpentry along Shauri Moyo and Ngong Road. The delegation will meet officials from the ministries of Industrialization and Labour in the course of the week. The South African delegation’s visit is coordinated by Mr. Sisanda Mtwizi, Councilor (Economic) from the South Africa High Commission and Mr. Richard Muteti from the MSE Sector in Kenya.

RWANDA INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR 2012

the Private Sector Federation-Rwanda in conjunction with the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Rwanda is organizing for the 15th time the Annual Rwanda International Trade Fair 2012 due to take place in Kigali, Rwanda from 25th July to 08th August 2012. The fair will attract over 500 exhibitors from various countries especially from EAC region , providing a unique sales opportunity and networking forum for the business community/Institutions that will be participating at this international event. For space booking and registration kindly contact :- Ephrem KARANGWA : Head Trade Fairs & Investments: Private Sector Federation: Cell +250 788307330: ephremk@psf.org.rw

The President Visits Export Sector MSEs at the KICC

The MSE Sector hosted the President of Kenya H.E Hon Mwai Kibaki, the Ministers of Trade, Finance and other Key Stakeholders at an MSE Stand during the National Exporters Forum yesterday on the 29th June 2012 at the KICC The President said that the Government will establish the Export Development Fund and start an Endowment Fund to support EPCs activities. He called for the speedy establishment of the SME Parks and appreciated the good work of the SME Exporters in Jobs and wealth creation in Kenya. The president was taken round the MSE Hand Made Products stand by Mr. Richard Muteti and was later presented with the SME Handbook which was produced to empower the small business owners in Kenya with timely and relevant information relevant to their growth. Among the MSE Exhibitors was Madam Zohra Baraka who exports various hand made products to various countries in Europe. She has received an order of 1 million shillings to supply bangles during the London Marathon. Regional MSE representatives from across the country joined the More than 400 Exporters during the event while the Vise Chairman of KEPSA Mr. Vimal Shah gave a brief remark on behalf of the Private Sector in Kenya.

UNDP and the RBA take valuable MSE programmes to the Western Region of Kenya.

The UNDP conducts leadership and governance Training for MSE Sector leaders based at the Western region of Kenya where more than 65 Associations were represented by more than 250 participants at the Golf hotel. RBA concludes a hearing loss clinic in western region where more than 1500 artisans are attended to. Among the guests who spoke during the event were: C.E.O of RBA Mr. E. Odundo , K.I E Regional Manager Mr Bett , the MSE Western Region Sector Chairman, Mr. Charles Omutanyi , the Kakamega County Jua Kali Associations Chairman ,Mr. Richard Kondo and the Sector CEO Mr. Richard Muteti. The C.E.O of RBA Mr. Odundo said that the artisans are subjected to a lot of noise and other activities that affect their hearing and was concerned that many artisans are getting out of the Jua kali sector because of hearing problems and that the trend would affect the growth of the industry . He promised to take the hearing conservation programme to the rest of the country. We recognize the efforts of the following MSE leaders from the Western Region who made the two programmes a major success: led by the Chairman Mr. Charles Omutanyi, Mr. Richard Kondo, the Organizing Secretary Mr. Caleb Isindu. The secretary Ms. Pauline Avukusi, Mrs. Elizabeth , Mr. Eliud Wawire and the Executive Officer Mr. Caleb Isindu who is also the Youth Director, KNCCI Kakamega County