VISION

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To be the leader in promoting innovative business growth and investments for wealth creation in the Country

                                                          MISSION

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To create a vibrant and conducive environment for Enterprise Development and economic growth in the County

CORE VALUES

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Innovation

Professionalism

Partnership

Integrity

Quality service

Transparency & Accountability

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MANDATE

The general mandate of the Department is to Promote and support trade within and outside the county, to spearhead the county’s industrialization Agenda, to promote Tourism development and support growth of the co-operative movement through formation and oversight of Co-operative societies.

CORE FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT

Internal Trade Department

Ø  Facilitating Business and Entrepreneurship Development

Ø  Improving business environment

Ø  Supporting growth and development of wholesale and retail trade and markets

Ø   Developing an integrated trade data information system

Ø   Providing innovative business support services

Ø   Enhancing Accessibility to Business Information

Ø   Facilitating Increased Access to Trade Finance through revitalization of County Enterprise Fund [CEF]

Ø   Monitoring the impact and Review the implementation of trade related legislations and regulations

Ø   Facilitating continuous engagement, information sharing and interaction between the National and County Governments on trade development issues

Ø   Facilitating the improvement of supply chain efficiency in wholesale and retail department

Ø   Provision of micro and small loans to existing traders through the CEF

Ø   Training on basic bookkeeping/ proper accounting, loan usage and repayment for SACCO’s, SME’s and MFI’s

Ø  Promoting the development of small scale and simple industrial entrepreneurship e.g. handcraft, metal works, carpentry and hides and skin processing

   Weights and Measures Section

Ø  Continuously maintaining accurate standards of weights and measures for use in checking the accuracy of all weighing and measuring equipment in use for trade

Ø   Ensuring fairness in trade transactions involving quantity measurements through regular checks of all weighing and measuring equipment in use for trade and inspection of all trading premises and test weighing pre-packed goods in shops

Ø   Continuously ensuring that all new types or patterns of weighing and measuring equipment intended for use for trade conform to specifications laid down in law

Ø   Regular monitoring of persons engaged in manufacture, repair and sales of weighing and measuring equipment for trade use

Ø   Regular scanning of all advertisements in the media, billboards to detect and prevent the use of false trade description of goods and service

Ø   Maintenance and procurement of physical legal metrology standards for use in calibrating our working standards and eventually verification of the traders’ equipment. This is done twice a year through comparison of standards with the higher accuracy secondary standards in the National Physical Laboratory in Nairobi

Ø   Verification and stamping of traders weighing and measuring equipment to determine their accuracy and advice on the action to be taken on faulty equipment-This is done either in-situ where the equipment is like in coffee factories, dairies, manufacturing industries, etc. or in selected strategic market centres where all traders nearby congregate and submit their equipment

Ø   Investigation and prosecution of cases of non-compliance to weights and measures Act, trade descriptions Act and Anti-counterfeit Act

Ø  Traders and consumer education and training on fair trade practices

Industrialization

Ø   Capacity building for industrial development and quality service delivery

Ø   Establishing the policy, legal and institutional framework for industrialization

Ø   Attracting local and foreign industrial investment

Ø   Promotion of the development of Micro, Small and Medium Industries (MSMIs)

Ø   Promotion of research and development (R& D) ; innovation and technology adoption

Ø   Facilitating creation of conducive business environment for Micro and Small Industries

Ø   Promoting growth, graduation, productivity and competitiveness of Micro and Small Industries

Ø   Conducting resource endowment mapping and promote investment opportunities in the regions

Ø   Provision of Business Development Services for Micro and Small Industries

Ø   Facilitating linkages of Micro and Small Industries with Medium and large industries

Co-operatives Development

Ø   Improving management of co-operatives

Ø   Reviving dormant societies

Ø  Broadening financial base of societies

Ø   Increasing the participation of people in co-operatives

Tourism

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 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT

¨      Successful completion of Marsabit Modern market

¨      The department developed County Trade and Investment policy which currently at the cabinet level

¨      Food Safety and Quality strategy was also development in collaboration with relevant departments and currently at cabinet level

¨      Through the support of LMS Department strategic plan and Marsabit Chapter Chamber of Commerce strategic plan was developed ready for launch

¨      Plans are underway to formulate and develop Public Private Partnership Policy

¨      Many Co-operatives Societies formed along Livestock products and Ushangaa among other value chains

¨      Trained over 1000 Youths and Women on entrepreneurship in collaboration with partners to equip them with entrepreneurial skills

¨       Many Cooperative members and officials were trained on Cooperative Governance

¨      40 SMEs were trained on Post-harvest management loss through partners

¨      Good working relations with the development partners supporting the department

 CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED

§             Failure by the executive to disburse County Enterprise Fund(CEF) for the last 4 financial years

§             CEF Loan defaulters

§             Lack of enough technical staff for the weights & measures department for fair trade

§             Inadequate budget for the department

§             Illiteracy levels in the county hamper trade and management of Co-operative societies

§             Unfavorable locations for market stall hence low market occupancy rate and vandalism at the facilities spread County wide

§             Staff are not facilitated to undertake their work