President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to chair the inaugural Small and Growing Business Forum at the Strathmore Business School where he is expected to interact with the smallest of all businesses in Kenya.
The theme of the round-table will be blueprint for accelerated growth for Kenyan small and growing businesses which will aim to showcase what the lowest cadres of businesses are fairing and the challenges they face.
The forum is open to SMEs in agro-processing, aquaculture, construction, livestock and textile sectors.
In a statement from the University read, ” Strathmore Business School in conjunction with the Executive office of the President is delighted to host His Excellency the President to chair the inaugural Small and Growing Business Forum.”
Strathmore Business School has positioned itself as a premier academic research university linking trends in business with both academics and business communities. With a diverse local and international faculty, it has set its programs to compete with the best business schools in the continent.
Kenya’s informal business environment is mainly controlled by SMEs and small and growing enterprises with a few thousands of investments are known to offer considerable amount of employment.
They are however characterized by poor management, lack of funds and low profit, with majority closing down within a year of being set up.
SMEs have been attracting local and international attention including IFC and Mastercard foundation in terms of finance and expertise for growth. However, there is still very few small and growing enterprises have broken into the big league of companies in Kenya.
Earlier in the year, The Swedish Development Finance Institution, Swedfund, announced that they will invests USD 5 million in the Kenyan bank Victoria Commercial Bank, VCB for funding the bank’s small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, and is part of Swedfund’s mission to reduce poverty through sustainable business.
