The State Department for Industry has partnered with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to undertake a nationwide compliance monitoring exercise on the implementation of the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) Programme.
Industry Principal Secretary (PS) Dr Juma Mukhwana noted that the exercise is aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and adherence to regulatory frameworks in the management of the programme, which is being implemented jointly by the national and county governments.
Speaking during the announcement of the initiative at the Ministry’s Headquarters. in Nairobi, Dr. Mukhwana reported that a multidisciplinary team from the anti-graft commission will conduct an assessment of the systems and procedures guiding the programme to ensure prudent use of public resources.
“The compliance monitoring exercise will be undertaken by a multidisciplinary team from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to review systems, procedures and practices related to the implementation of the programme,” Mukhwana emphasised.
Notably, the monitoring exercise will focus on key areas including procurement processes, financial management systems, governance structures, and the general implementation framework of the industrial parks.
According to the PS, the review is intended to ensure that the programme adheres to the relevant legal and regulatory requirements while safeguarding public funds invested in the initiative.
“The initiative aims to reinforce transparency, accountability and the proper utilisation of public resources committed to the programme,” he explained.
Further, Dr. Mukhwana added that the monitoring process will also help identify weaknesses that may expose the programme to corruption risks and propose corrective measures to strengthen institutional safeguards.
“We expect the exercise to identify potential gaps in the implementation framework and provide recommendations that will further strengthen integrity and accountability in the programme,” he stated.
Importantly, the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks Programme is a key government initiative aimed at promoting agro-processing and value addition at the county level.
Through the programme, the government intends to establish facilities that will support the aggregation, storage, processing and marketing of agricultural produce closer to production areas.
Equally, the initiative is expected to strengthen agricultural value chains, reduce post-harvest losses and improve market access for farmers.
To this regard, Dr. Mukhwana affirmed that the programme aligns with the government’s broader economic agenda of promoting industrialisation and supporting local manufacturing.
“The County Aggregation and Industrial Parks Programme is a critical component of the government’s efforts to strengthen agro-industrial development and enhance value addition within the agricultural sector,” the PS reiterated.
Under the programme’s financing framework, the national government committed to provide Sh250 million to each county to support the development of the industrial parks, with county governments required to provide matching funds.
According to the State Department for Industry, the national government has already disbursed Sh4.052 billion towards the programme with ten counties so far receiving the full Sh250 million allocation from the national government, enabling them to commence construction of the industrial parks.
In the 2025/2026 financial year, the government allocated an additional Sh4.448 billion to accelerate the programme’s implementation.
Out of this allocation, the first tranche amounting to Sh2.224 billion has already been released to 24 counties to support ongoing development of the facilities.
Currently, 34 counties are at different stages of developing County Aggregation and Industrial Parks.
Dr. Mukhwana insisted the government remains committed to ensuring that the programme is implemented efficiently and delivers tangible benefits to farmers, small businesses and local communities.
“The government is keen on ensuring that the programme is implemented in a transparent and accountable manner so that it delivers the intended economic and social benefits to wananchi,” he reaffirmed.
Once operational, the industrial parks are expected to support agro-processing industries, promote value addition and stimulate economic activities in counties across the country.
The facilities are also projected to attract private sector investment in agro-processing while creating employment opportunities for youth and local communities.
Additionally, the parks are expected to reduce post-harvest losses by improving storage and processing capacity for agricultural produce.
As a result, the initiative will strengthen linkages between farmers, processors and markets, enabling producers to earn better returns from their produce.
Ultimately, the partnership between the State Department for Industry and the anti-graft agency is therefore expected to strengthen oversight and promote integrity in the implementation of the programme.
This will ensure enhanced monitoring and accountability that the public resources invested in the programme translate into sustainable economic development at the county level.
By Naif Rashid
