Kericho: The government has urged youth, women, and registered business groups in Kericho County to take advantage of the Kenya Jobs and Economic Transformation (KJET) Project. This initiative, valued at Sh19 billion and backed by the World Bank, aims to operate over a five-year period culminating in 2029.
According to Kenya News Agency, the KJET Project is being implemented under the State Department for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development. It focuses on four core components: business and investment enabling reforms, MSME cluster competitiveness, green financing and climate resilience, and project monitoring and evaluation. During a meeting of the National Government Development County Implementation Coordination and Management Committee (NGD-CICMC) at the County Commissioner's Boardroom, Kericho County Senior Enterprise Development Officer Michelle Aburilli highlighted the project's goals to enhance employment opportunities, attract private investment, and bolster access to sustainable financing. The project also aims to boost productivity of small and medium enterprises through targeted support to organized clusters nationwide.
Aburilli noted that Kericho County is a strategic beneficiary under Component 2, focusing on enhancing competitiveness and productivity among MSME clusters within key value chains. The project targets enterprises involved in edible oils, textiles, dairy, and construction materials, which are high-impact value chains under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
In Kericho, the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) is leading efforts to mobilize cooperatives, associations, and cluster-based entities to register and apply for free Business Development Services (BDS) training via the official portal at https://kjet.msea.go.ke, with the application deadline set for June 30, 2025. Aburilli described the project as a transformative opportunity for local entrepreneurs and self-help groups facing challenges in scaling due to limited access to capital, training, and market support. She urged both formal and informal MSMEs to organize into viable clusters and align with the project's value chain priorities to qualify for structured support.
Aburilli emphasized the particular benefits for youth and women-led enterprises, which stand to gain from free capacity-building sessions, advisory services, and potential co-investment financing for machinery and tools to enhance production. MSEA is conducting sensitization forums and providing hands-on support, including assistance with the online application process and preparation of supporting documentation. Applicants lacking digital access are also being supported to ensure inclusivity.
Qualified business clusters will undergo a five-day intensive training covering business planning, financial management, marketing, climate adaptation, and personal initiative. These sessions are tailored to reflect each cluster's line of business and investment readiness. Completing this training is a prerequisite for advancing to the investment support stage, with only those clusters eligible for additional funding opportunities under the project.
Aburilli highlighted the tiered support offered by the KJET project to MSMEs based on their structure and investment readiness. Tier 1 clusters, those with joint business models, clear governance, and demonstrated capacity to scale, will receive co-investment support for equipment and technology, with the government covering up to 70 percent of the cost and clusters required to raise the remaining 30 percent. Tier 2 clusters will receive basic BDS training with a pathway to graduate into Tier 1 upon demonstrating growth.
In addition to business development and investment support, Aburilli assured that Kericho-based enterprises will be eligible to apply for green financing products under Component 3 of the project, implemented by the Kenya Development Corporation (KDC). This includes a Green Fund for climate-smart investments and a Climate Disaster Credit Facility to shield MSMEs from environmental shocks. To qualify, applicants must be registered cooperatives, associations, or cluster-based groups operational for at least two years and engaged in value addition within a priority value chain. Clusters must have products already in the market and demonstrate willingness to formalize operations and collaborate within a structured governance model. Applications not meeting these criteria will not be considered for the first round of support.