The national government has decried the low investor-uptake by counties, with 90 per cent of industries concentrated in six out of the 47 devolved units.

According to the Ministry of Trade and Industrialisation, counties had high and untapped potential that could attract multi-billion-dollar investments, leading to increased job opportunities and revenue.

This came as the government promised to work with counties and municipalities to eradicate bottlenecks that were affecting upcoming industries and eroding investor confidence.

According to PS for Industry Juma Mukhwana, only Nairobi, Nakuru, Machakos, Kilifi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Kiambu had created the right environment and accounted for 90 per cent of manufacturing companies.

Mukhwana said the rest of the counties lacked the right infrastructure, including adequate water sources, power, and raw materials needed to drive growth and economic prosperity.

The PS challenged counties to create investor confidence by creating the right business environment to attract investments and create jobs for tens of youths.

“Counties should create industrial areas and put up needed infrastructure and address challenges facing most of the cities and municipalities, such as sewerage systems, runaway garbage and dilapidated roads and walkways,” he said.

PPP drive industrial growth

Addressing the press in Naivasha on the sidelines of the Cities and Municipalities Forum, the PS tasked counties to harness the power of public-private partnerships (PPP) to drive investments.

Mukhwana said the national government had completed construction of county aggregation and industrial parks and challenged counties to develop the right infrastructure and operationalize them by attracting investors and creating jobs.

“Counties need to put up adequate infrastructure in earmarked urban areas and create investor confidence that will, in turn, attract investments, generate revenue and create jobs for the youths,” said Mukhwana.

He added that the government had harnessed the power of public-private partnerships to turn around the tide on poorly run entities, noting that the State would provide the right policies and business environment needed for industrial growth.

According to the Secretary General of the Cities and Municipalities Forum Antony Macharia, there was a need for the national government to set up a national urban fund to support counties.

“We are seeking a share of the National Infrastructure Fund as a conditional grant that will finance cities and municipalities to be engines of growth and economic development by harnessing investments “, said Macharia.

On his part, the forum chairman, Wanyonyi Buteyo, said that in coming years, most of Africa would be urbanised, with cities and municipalities becoming the focal points for prosperity and industrialization.