More about the Changamka Kenya Shopping Festival at KICC
The highly anticipated 6th edition of the Changamka Kenya Shopping Festival commenced today at the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC), with the organizers calling on Kenyan consumers to seize the opportunity to purchase quality products at discounted prices.
The festival, running from October 31-November 4, 2023, is hosted by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) and serves as a platform for local manufacturers to showcase and sell their locally produced goods.
The festival’s primary goal is to promote the consumption of high-quality Made in Kenya products, aligning with the Buy Kenya Build Kenya Strategy.
This initiative addresses the disparity between local and imported products, encouraging consumers to embrace locally manufactured goods.
At a time when the Kenyan government is actively promoting locally made products to stimulate the economy and the manufacturing sector, the Changamka Kenya Shopping Festival plays a vital role.
According to data from the Kenya Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the manufacturing sector is the second-largest employer in Kenya, providing jobs for approximately 352,000 individuals.
Dr. Juma Mukhwana, HSC PS – State Department for Industry, emphasized the festival’s significance in showcasing world-class products made in Kenya, many of which are exported to markets around the globe.
He stated, “As a government, our focus towards promoting sustainable policies to promote local manufacturing is clear. We will continue working with local manufacturing players to create a conducive business environment to increase the contribution to GDP by the manufacturing sector from the current 7.2% to 20% by 2030 as ably explained by the KAM board Chairperson.”
For years, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers has championed the consumption of locally manufactured goods, debunking the myth that such products are more expensive compared to imports.
Initiatives like the Changamka Festival aim to boost production among manufacturers and drive Kenya’s economic growth.
Mr. Rajan Shah, Chair of KAM, stated that the festival provides an opportunity for various stakeholders, including customers, to recognize the immense potential of Kenya’s manufacturing sector.
“It provides an opportunity to celebrate our manufacturing sector and its diversity. As an industry, we aim to dismantle the long-held belief that local goods are not of high quality and to reduce over-reliance on imports.”
KAM’s Chief Executive, Mr. Anthony Mwangi, highlighted the pivotal role of local manufacturing in Kenya’s economy, emphasizing that it should not be underestimated.
He added, “This 6th Edition, just like the five that came before, sets a platform for Kenyan shoppers to have a taste of the quality products that we have as Kenyans, and perhaps work towards shedding off the notion that our products are of low quality and expensive. Changamka Kenya Shopping Festival resonates with our national fabric and emerges as a unique brand that will serve as a reminder to all Kenyans of what it means to embrace local industry’s authenticity and ingenuity, today and in the future.”
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