[kictanet] Ministry to support young entrepreneurs

[Mike Theuri]

http://www.eastandard.net/business/InsidePage.php?id=1143991935&cid=14&
Ministry to support young entrepreneurs
Published on 08/08/2008

By Kenneth Kwama

The Ministry of Trade is working to create a policy to relax procurement
rules
to make it easier for young entrepreneurs to tender for Government jobs.

"Some of the rules like those that require people to have been in business
for
more than 10 years before being considered for Government tenders are unfair
to
young entrepreneurs and should be reviewed," said Mr Omingo Magara,
Assistant
Minister for Trade.

Magara spoke during the unveiling of the Global Entrepreneurship Week, which
is
set to take place from November 17-23. The concept is aimed at supporting
young
entrepreneurs who want to do business. The event will take place in more
than 60
countries.

In Kenya, it will be co-ordinated by the Sacoma Centre for business
enterprises,
which says it hopes to create 10,000 new jobs for the youth by the end of
the
one-week event. "We are working with partners who are willing to support the

youth in various ways like training, mentorship and start up capital. In the

end, we hope this will enable young people to create their own businesses
and
employ people," said Ms Peres Ochieng', CEO of Sacoma.



Youth Participation

The organisers expect thousands of youths from different districts to
participate. Chris Spavin, the International Campaigns executive for the
programme, lauded the idea as revolutionary to help the youth in developing
countries take charge of their own destinies.

"It aims to inspire a movement of people and stakeholders to celebrate and
engage in enterprising ideas and make them happen," said Spavin.

The idea was first mooted in the UK, with British Prime Minister Gordon
Brown
acting as patron of one of the founder organisations.

Magara said his ministry would provide the infrastructure necessary to
support
the initiative and also work on new policy to make the business environment
friendlier to the youth.

He cited the many procedures required by procurement rules saying they were
hostile to young entrepreneurs. He said some jobs like construction of
feeder
roads in rural areas could be given to the youth without necessarily going
through the tendering process.

Other events lined up for the week include business ideas competition and
campaigns for new policies geared at improving business environment for
young
people.
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