The delegation was received by KNCCI Vice President Mustafa Ramadhan, accompanied by National Director (Upper Eastern Region) Abdullahi Hersi.

The visit forms part of the delegation’s fact-finding mission to assess the business conduct of Chinese-funded enterprises in Kenya and to promote the development of a transparent, ethical, and mutually beneficial government-business relationship. The delegation also sought to better understand KNCCI’s role in protecting the interests of the private sector and contributing to the improvement of Kenya’s business environment.

Speaking during the meeting, KNCCI Vice President Mustafa Ramadhan highlighted the Chamber’s commitment to advocating for evidence-based policies and legislation that create a fair and competitive business environment while safeguarding the interests of businesses operating in Kenya.

He noted that KNCCI continues to create market opportunities for its members through strategic partnerships, business networking forums, and both inbound and outbound trade missions. He further explained that the Chamber has been instrumental in supporting Chinese investors by facilitating access to the relevant government agencies for licensing and permit applications, thereby eliminating the need for intermediaries and making market entry more efficient.

Mustafa also emphasized KNCCI’s role in guiding foreign investors on Kenya’s labour regulations and local content requirements to ensure compliance with the country’s legal and regulatory framework while promoting responsible investment.

National Director Hersi encouraged Chinese enterprises to continue expanding their investments in Kenya, citing agro-processing, mining, and light manufacturing as sectors with significant untapped potential for growth and collaboration.

Besides KNCCI, the delegation is also scheduled to hold meetings with the Kenya Investment Authority and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission as part of its broader mission to understand Kenya’s investment climate, governance structures, and measures aimed at promoting integrity and accountability in business.

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It is against this backdrop that KNCCI President Dr. Erick Rutto today presided over the KALRO Scientific Conference and Innovation Expo 2026 as Chief Guest. The conference was held under the theme “Innovations for Sustainable Agri-food Systems, Climate Change Resilience and Improved Livelihoods.”

In his remarks, Dr. Rutto underscored the critical role of automation and innovation in transforming agriculture, noting that technology is key to increasing productivity, improving yields, and developing better crop and livestock varieties capable of withstanding climate-related challenges.

He challenged Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) researchers to broaden their focus beyond crops and livestock and invest more in developing locally appropriate agricultural machinery and technologies that address the everyday challenges faced by Kenyan farmers. According to Dr. Rutto, locally driven innovation will be instrumental in improving efficiency, reducing production costs, and enhancing competitiveness across the agricultural value chain.

The KNCCI President further called on the scientific community to play a more active role in informing policy and advocacy efforts, observing that despite agriculture’s immense contribution to the economy, there remains a disconnect between policy formulation and the actions required to unlock the sector’s full potential.

Dr. Rutto also highlighted KNCCI’s efforts to drive technology adoption and skills development among farmers, particularly youth, through initiatives such as the Jiinue Growth Programme and the Climate Smart Dairy Farming Project.

He concluded by challenging researchers to continue developing innovative solutions for the sector (such as Aflasafe; KALRO’s  innovative solution  to aflatoxin), while pledging KNCCI’s support in helping commercialize research outputs through enhanced market access, strategic partnerships, and the Chamber’s extensive local and international business networks.

Thereafter he was taken round ro the KALRO data center which houses the Kenya Agriculture Observatory Platform (KAOP) by KALRO Chairman Dr Thuo Mathenge and Director General Dr. Patrick K. Ketiem, a real-time monitoring and digital advisory system. It provides farmers and policymakers with hyper-local weather forecasts, soil health data, and market information down to the specific ward level

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This afternoon, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) President, Dr. Erick Rutto, led a high-powered delegation of KNCCI National Directors and County Chapter leaders in engaging with KNCCI members participating in the ongoing Devolution Conference 2025.

In line with this year’s conference theme — “Deepening Devolution for Inclusive Economic Growth” — the KNCCI team visited members across diverse sectors including manufacturing, agribusiness, trade, ICT, tourism, and professional services. The engagements provided a platform to discuss how the Chamber can strengthen its role in empowering businesses both locally and internationally.

The discussions focused on three key areas where KNCCI continues to deliver value to its members:

1. Market Access and Trade Facilitation – Leveraging KNCCI’s extensive network and trade missions to connect members to domestic and export markets, and facilitating participation in key business expos and international fairs.
2. Policy Advocacy and Representation – Championing the interests of the business community at both county and national government levels, ensuring that the voices of enterprises are heard in shaping trade, investment, and regulatory frameworks.
3. Capacity Building and Business Development – Providing targeted training, mentorship, and business advisory services through initiatives such as the KNCCI Business Academy, aimed at equipping SMEs with the skills to scale sustainably.

Dr. Rutto reaffirmed KNCCI’s commitment to fostering an enabling business environment, noting that county-level engagement is essential to achieving inclusive growth under devolution. He emphasized that the Chamber’s unique county-to-national presence positions it as the ideal bridge between local enterprises and global opportunities.

These engagements also served as a build-up to the KNCCI Side Event at the Devolution Conference, which will bring together county governors, private sector leaders, development partners, and entrepreneurs to explore strategies for unlocking county investment potential, promoting cross-county trade, and strengthening the role of the private sector in driving Kenya’s economic transformation.

Speaking during the visits, Dr. Rutto said:

“Devolution is about empowering communities — and businesses are at the heart of that empowerment. KNCCI is here to ensure our members have the tools, networks, and policy environment they need to thrive in every county and in the global market.”

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The high-level meeting focused on deepening collaboration between KNCCI and FKE across key areas of mutual interest, including policy advocacy, labor market reforms, enterprise competitiveness, and the creation of a more enabling environment for employers and entrepreneurs in Kenya.

Ms. Mugo expressed FKE’s commitment to fostering a strategic partnership with KNCCI and invited the Chamber to participate in upcoming FKE-led events. Both institutions emphasized the importance of formalizing their collaboration and agreed to work towards signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The proposed MoU will serve as a framework for joint advocacy efforts with government and parliament, co-implementation of programs, and initiatives aimed at empowering the private sector. Key focus areas include capacity building, employer engagement, and economic empowerment to boost business sustainability and growth.

This meeting underscored the shared vision of KNCCI and FKE to amplify the voice of Kenya’s business community and champion sustainable economic development through effective collaboration.

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Speaking at the event Chamber President Richard Ngatia said the Chamber is focused on enabling lay the foundation for small and medium enterprises to grow and innovate into engines of economic growth and development.

“For Mombasa, Uasin Gishu and Embu chapters there is the need to ensure there is proper governance, has information that is relevant to business and trade to members and fosters trade, industry and commerce,” he said.

He added that the chamber is happy with efforts to increase credit to micro, small and medium enterprises and particularly with the launch of the Kes. 10 billion stawi product that allows lending via mobile phones to SMEs. Access to credit was among the four advocacy pillars by the chamber in 2018 besides delayed payments another issue the chamber has gained ground over the past year.

“We are happy that banks have opened a new leaf that de-risks businesses that were in the past considered uncertain and we hope the new cash injection will reduce the large number of businesses that collapse each year. As the chamber, we will continue to formalize our members to ensure they keep good books enabling them to access credit even through the formal banking channel.

Speaking at the same event CIPE Africa Program Manager Ryan Musser said the organization will continue to work with the chamber to strengthen its say as the voice of the private sector in Kenya. He added that the programme was aimed at creating vibrant chambers at the county level as only stronger chamber chapters will lead to improved business representation in the counties.

“We will work with the Institute of Public Finance Kenya to help these businesses in educating them when it comes to understanding the budget process at the county level. We will also team up with the chamber train the SME’s on anti-corruption compliance training for them to be able to do businesses ethically,” said Ryan Musser, CIPE Africa Program Manager.

“The purpose of this Grant is to enable the Chambers to carry out the development and implementation of projects in Kenya and build the capacity of the chamber to engage in policy reforms,” he added.

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