Governor Anne Waiguru says Kirinyaga is the new frontier for investment due to the conducive environment her administration has created for businesses to thrive.
Waiguru said apart from investing in good infrastructure, modernization of towns and creating business friendly policies, availability of raw material for production is drawing investors to Kirinyaga.
Speaking during the official opening of NCBA Kerugoya Branch, the Governor asked investors to take advantage of the conducive investment environment to put up businesses in Kirinyaga.
The governor said due to the support she has given to farmers through the Wezesha Kirinyaga programme, farmers across all value chains have almost doubled production and there is adequate supplies of raw materials for value addition in the agro-based industries.
She said the County is now set to become the biggest investment hub in the region owing to the ongoing development of Sagana Industrial City, the EPZ and the ECZ which have attracted massive investments.
“The project will grow the manufacturing sector through agro-industries and sustainably enhance the productivity in the agricultural increasing farmers’ income and foreign exchange. This is an opportunity for NCBA to offer their support to investors willing to participate in the project,” she said.
Waiguru said the county has attracted investors in different value chains among them avocado processing, macadamia, milk, rice, coffee, tea, maize flour among others which are already thriving.
“Kirinyaga County is among the smallest counties geographically, but it is also among the wealthiest counties in Kenya. We are a 95% agrarian county and so you should consider opening more branches in other towns in our county”, said Waiguru.
She emphasized the critical role financial institutions play in driving local economic growth and empowering communities. She expressed her administration’s commitment to fostering partnerships that spur development, create jobs, and improve access to essential services for the county’s residents.
The Governor said the opening of NCBA and other financial institutions in Kirinyaga is a testament to the growing economy and opportunities available for investors.
She said the County is eager to partner with the bank to come up with initiatives aimed at supporting local SMEs and acquiring long-term partnerships with the county’s economic growth.
NCBA Group Chair James Ndegwa said that NCBA vision mirrors Governor Waiguru’s work ethics and business acumen of consumer inclusion.
Ndegwa expressed optimism about the bank’s future in the region and highlighted the group’s dedication to fostering financial inclusion in order to drive the country’s socio-economic transformation.
He said opening of the NCBA Kerugoya which is now the 97th branch was part of bank’s local expansion drive aimed at taking the business into new sectors of the economy and bringing its services closer to customers.