This evening, the President of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), Dr. Erick Rutto, hosted a high-level engagement with Ms. Gatwiri Kithinji, Country Representative for DR.-ING PAUL CHRISTIANI GMBH & CO. KG, and Mr. Cornelius Kiplagat, CEO of Haitrac, to initiate discussions on the execution of a key Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The MoU—signed earlier on Monday, May 19th, 2025, at the Christiani Competence Center in Landsberg, Germany—is a significant step in aligning Kenya’s technical and vocational education training (TVET) standards with those of the German industry. This initiative builds on the broader Kenya–Germany labour agreement, which aims to equip Kenyan youth with industry-relevant skills to transition into employment opportunities within German industries.

Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Rutto emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership in addressing both national and global workforce demands. “This collaboration offers our youth a chance to access internationally benchmarked training while opening doors to quality job placements in high-demand sectors abroad,” he noted.

Key Objectives of the Partnership:

  • ✅ Access to German-standard training: Provide KNCCI member companies with access to vocational training, educational tools, and technical expertise based on German standards.

  • ✅ Establishment of Centres of Excellence: Encourage investor participation to set up German-aligned training centres within Kenya’s industrial hubs.

  • ✅ Knowledge exchange & internships: Promote bilateral knowledge transfer through internships, technical training programs, and cooperative projects.

  • ✅ Curriculum enhancement: Support the upgrading of Kenya’s technical curricula and institutions to align with globally recognized German frameworks.

  • ✅ Sustainable collaboration: Facilitate continued engagement between Kenyan education authorities, industry stakeholders, and Christiani’s network of partners.

The discussions mark the beginning of the operationalization phase, which will see a series of consultative sessions and implementation plans rolled out in the coming months. The Chamber’s role in bridging private sector needs with international partnerships reaffirms its commitment to youth empowerment, labour competitiveness, and economic transformation.