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COVID-19 PANDEMIC: WE NEED TO CREATE MORE JOBS



Even if a vaccine for the Corona virus is discovered tomorrow & life resumes normally, a number of businesses will not open at all, while others will open partially. Jobs will be lost, resulting in increased unemployment rate.
Therefore, we need to think deeply & look for new ways, new ideas to create new employment opportunities.
My idea is as follows:
Without doubt, SMEs will offer the most job opportunities. We Kenyans & our government need to focus on them keenly. The SMEs can be divided into 2 broad categories, i.e:
a) SME Traders
b) SME Manufacturers
SME Traders buy manufactured products, mostly imported, to sell in Kenya. Currently, due to the worldwide COVID-19 lockdowns, their businesses are suffering.
SME Manufacturers make products in Kenya. However, while one can say they are quite small in size and number, I choose to think that multiple opportunities exist to increase their size and numbers. Do you know that one manufacturing job creates 6 to 15 other jobs along the value chains, both upstream and downstream? Therefore focusing keenly on SME Manufacturers will create many new jobs. However, it is important to note that SME Manufacturers can be classified into 3 types:


1) INNOVATIVE SME Manufacturers: These can manufacture products never made in Kenya before, therefore opening new industries, and creating many new jobs for Kenyans.
2) The second category are the SME Manufacturers that don't have the capacity to satisfy the Kenyan market, e.g. those that make car filters. More car filters are imported than made locally. There is need to support this category to increase their quantities (& quality where necessary) so as to not only satisfy the local market, but also be able to export the same products. Many jobs will be created in the process.
3) The third category are those that manufacture products already found in abundance in Kenya, say products made by multinationals and big companies in Kenya. However, the export market also exists, therefore there is more than enough room for everyone.
WAY FORWARD
1) The Kenyan government needs to identify & support these SME Manufacturers, especially the first two categories as they have a high potential of growth, thus able to create many many jobs.
2) Fellow Kenyans, we need to buy Kenyan made products to create jobs here as we build our economy. In short, "Buy Kenya Build Kenya".
I pray, for our own sake and that of future generations, that we all play our parts!
Ama aje wa Kenya wenzangu, "Maisha Yetu, Jukumu Letu!"

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