Kisii County business community has hailed the county government for planning to host the first Kisii Entrepreneurship Summit (KES) 2016 from February 24-26 at the Kisii University grounds.
Speaking on Monday in his office, Kisii chairman for chambers of commerce Benjamin Onkoba said the summit would improve business in the county.
"The summit is important since it will enable business ventures to learn new ways of trading. More opportunities will be realised through the summit," said Onkoba.
Speaking during the media launch of the summit, governor James Ongwae explained that the summit will provide a platform to showcase to the local, regional and international investors the existing investment and business opportunities in the county.
“It will provide a networking platform to domestic, regional and international investors to negotiate joint ventures and partnerships,” said Ongwae.
Deputy governor Joash Maangi, Senator Chris Obure, County Assembly Speaker Kerosi Ondieki, County Executive Committee (CeC) members, Chief Officers, MCAs among other leaders, attended the launch.
The summit whose theme is “Tapping the Trade and Investment Opportunities in Kisii County” is expected to attract various stakeholders comprising financial and learning institutions, local and international investors, entrepreneurs, industrialists, cooperative movements, NGOs and government departments among others.
Ongwae urged all investors to take full advantage of the summit by committing to take up viable investment opportunities derived from the local resources that will trigger linkages to all sectors of the economy.
“My administration promises to offer full support in the belief that it is only through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), value addition, trade and investments that we will achieve the objective of transforming the county into a middle income economy,” he said.
Senator Obure said that county is endowed with quality and large deposits of soapstone that is currently used to make carvings but which has a potential to be processed further as critical component in the manufacture of paper, paint, plastic, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals among other products.
Maangi said the county is a resource rich county with immense potential in areas of trade, mining, agriculture, industries, tourism and hospitality.
The deputy governor said the summit is expected to draw over 300 investors.