Troubled chamber of commerce and industry get chance to redeem itself

By Ben Kinyanjui

The meeting was well attended but the participants looked tensed and uneasy and for good reasons. For over a decade now, they have been squabbling and fighting leaving the once vibrant body almost unrecognizable. Mr Stephen Mbugua, KNCCI acting chairman says chamber has a bright future

Despite efforts being put by stakeholders led by the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) led by Eng Patrick Obath to redeem the body, the members are not convinced that time has come to break away with the past and chart a new path for the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI).

“Our work is over now. We expect members of KNCCI to take responsibility and build a stronger body that can articulate and serve the interests of its members,” said Eng Obath shortly after the meeting called by the Minister of Trade Mr Charau Mwakwere to map the way forward for the morbid chamber.

Mr Mwakwere also seemed little convinced that the team leading efforts to revive the chamber were equal to the task considering the degree of wrangling that have defied all manner of interventions including a court order.

“The Government will allow you to issue certificate of origin should you revive the chamber. But we shall demand harsh sanctions should the wrangles persist,” he said.

This was a veiled threat to the antagonists that have made the chamber ineffective for almost 10 years due to persistent leadership wrangles to rethink and support the ongoing rejuvenation efforts.

Tired with the entire group running the body, former Trade minister Dr Mukhisas Kituyi directed that they stop issuing certificate of origin to the business community hoping that the move that would deny them revenue would bring some sanity. He was wrong as the problem persisted.

Though the acting chairman Mr Stephen Mbugua welcomed Mwakwere’s gesture of having the function revert to the chamber, the next six months would be a big test to the chamber as it must hold national elections and pick new leaders.

“KNCCI has, for a long time been crippled by governance issues making it impossible for the institution to discharge its mandate in matters of trade and commerce on behalf of the business community in the country,” said Obath.

“Kepsa now calls on the KNNCI to take full advantage of the revised stipulations in the memorandum and articles of association and have all the necessary structures in place in the coming year.”

According to Obath, the chamber has now the best opportunity to reinvent itself and play a rightful place in adding value and enriching doing business in the county.

Kepsa that represents several trade and business associations teamed up with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, American Chamber of Commerce of Kenya and the Ministry of Trade to revive the body.

The committee was later expanded to accommodate all the wrangling groups and a new memorandum and articles of association was developed with funding from the United Nations Development Programme.

KNNCI members approved the articles late last month and .were submitted to the Registrar General for registration. This now paves the way for the chamber to hold elections to pick a new leadership.

“KNCCI can now officially and legally hold elections to propel it to greater heights in discharging its mandate of facilitating trade policy,” said Obath.