The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) has partnered with the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry (MITI) to launch the 7th edition of the Changamka Kenya Shopping Festival.
The festival which will be held under the theme “Celebrating the Ingenuity of Kenya’s Manufacturing Sector” is scheduled to take place from November 5th to 9th, 2024. It will be hosted at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) concurrently with the Kenya Industrialization Conference as part of the Africa Industrialization Week.
With over 200 exhibitors, including over 100 manufacturing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), this year’s festival promises to showcase the best of locally manufactured goods, aligning with the Buy Kenya Build Kenya Strategy. The Strategy is central to both the Changamka Festival and the Kenya Industrialization Conference.
Principal Secretary, State Department for Industry, Dr Juma Mukhwana, stated; “The Changamka Festival, now in its 7th edition coinciding with African Industrialization Week, celebrates Kenya’s manufacturing ingenuity by empowering local manufacturing and prioritizing sustainability. The integration of green industrialization reflects Kenya’s commitment to adopting global best practices that combine economic growth with environmental sustainability. The country is positioning itself as a leader in this space, leveraging both new technologies and sustainable methods to stay competitive in an increasingly eco-conscious global market.”
KAM acting CEO Tobias Alando emphasized that “The focus of the 7th Edition of the Changamka Festival is on enabling global competitiveness. We aim to showcase the high-quality, innovative, and diverse products that are manufactured in Kenya, for local, regional, and international markets, including over 100 SME manufacturers.
The initiative aims to raise public awareness, support local industries, create job opportunities, and drive economic growth by enhancing homegrown demand for local products. Collaborations with our various partners are pivotal for the ‘Buy Kenya, Build Kenya’ initiative to enable industry growth and enhance employment opportunities.”
Acting Country Director, Dr. Hannah Ngugi, said, “We are positioning Kenya as a key player in the African manufacturing space by expanding our African market access and exports. Through the Regional Economic Development for Investment and Trade (REDIT) Programme, funded by the British High Commission, we aim to integrate Kenya within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Ahead of the 7th Annual Kenya Manufacturing Summit and Expo 2024, we are excited to support 100 export-ready women- and youth-led SMEs in showcasing their products to over 25,000 local and international attendees.”
Running alongside the Changamka Festival is the Industrialization Conference, a high-level platform that brings together leaders in government, industry, and academia to discuss the future of manufacturing in Kenya and Africa. This year’s conference theme, “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Green Industrialization to Accelerate Africa’s Structural Transformation,” will focus on the critical role that technology and sustainability play in the continent’s industrial growth.
The festival is supported by TradeMark Africa through funding from the British High Commission; Stanbic Bank; Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL); AfreximBank; and Ecobank.