Ndeti warns Machakos staff against subjecting investors to …

Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has warned county staff against subjecting investors to unnecessary bureaucratic or corrupt processes. She said the county is a corruption-free zone and her government will create a conducive environment for all investors - local and international. Ndeti said her administration will not condone county staff who frustrate investors with intent to extort them before settling or setting up businesses in the county.

"When investors come to Machakos, it means more jobs, hence growing the county's economy and the country's GDP," Ndeti said. She was speaking on Tuesday during a joint presser with members of the European Parliament when they visited Vert Limited in Machakos county. "Machakos is a corruption-free zone.

We want whatever money you put here, you get value for it since much of the grants support people on the ground," Ndeti said. Ndeti was accompanied by her deputy Francis Mwangangi. Vert Limited is one of the private agribusinesses in the country benefiting from European Investment Bank funding.

A delegation of six members of the European Parliament is visiting Kenya to see first-hand how the European Investment Bank, which is the European Union's lending arm, is supporting high impact investment in Kenya. The members are part of the Committee on Development, which covers EU development policies globally. The parliamentarians were briefed on the EIB's projects in Kenya, touching on Sustainable Development Goals, climate change, food security, EU-Kenya partnerships, improving development effectiveness and global health.

The European Investment Bank is the world's largest international public bank and is owned directly by the 27 EU member states. EIB's operations in Kenya represent a significant amount of Europe's overall support to the country delivered through the member states and their bilateral agencies, with whom EIB cooperates closely. "We are honoured by the visit from the members of the European Parliament.

To date, EIB has signed more than 60 projects in Kenya and invested more than Sh223 billion in the country," Edward Claessen, the head of the EIB Regional Hub in Nairobi, said. Claessen said their projects span areas of energy, water, targeted urban development and social infrastructure, financial inclusion and private sector investment to support macro, small and medium enterprises. "The EIB will continue to stand by its Kenyan and regional partners because business investment is ever more important in getting Kenya to fully recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and recent economic shocks as well as building a stronger, more inclusive, greener and digital-led economy," he said.

"Our focus is on continued partnership in sustainable growth/ job creation; accelerating green transition and digital transition; strengthening health systems and improving education and training."  Vert co-founder and managing director Jane Maina said she was thankful for the support shown by the European Investment Bank to grow the agribusiness value chain. "We support a smallholder farmer base of more than 5,000 countrywide from whom we source for fruits and fresh produce which are then mainly exported to the European Market," she said.

Maina said the financing they received enabled them to increase the quantity of mangoes they purchased from smallholder farmers, creating and sustaining 95 permanent jobs and more than 300 temporary jobs during the peak seasons. She said they also created countless other indirect jobs across the chain. "I am one example of many other businesses that have grown or expanded due to EIB financing," Maina said.

Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Kenya Irene Giribaldi said they were pleased with the work and impact that the EU and EIB funding had on the ground. "We shall be your ambassadors back in Europe to articulate the need for increased investment in the projects in Kenya as they are helping create sustainable jobs and grow the economy. We look forward to continued partnership between the EU and Kenya," Giribaldi said.

The visit comes after a highly successful EU-Kenya business forum held last month which was graced by President William Ruto and other high-ranking government officials.

The forum brought together members of the business community from the EU and Kenya.