In order to discuss the effects of the continuing protests on manufacturers, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) organised a news conference today.
Rajan Shah, the chair of KAM, expressed his group’s sincere concern for the safety and welfare of Kenyans, their staff members, and their clients amid the ongoing protests.
They sympathise with the relatives of the unfortunate victims during these trying times because they regret that some people have passed away.
The manufacturing industry has suffered a great deal, according to Mr. Shah, as a result of the ongoing protests.
They share the suffering of the majority of their members who have stated that countless businesses have been negatively impacted by outages, which have impeded their day-to-day operations.
“The ongoing protests have dealt a significant blow to the manufacturing sector. We share the pain of most of our members who have reported that numerous businesses have experienced disruptions, hindering their day-to-day operations,” said KAM Chair.
He added, ” Our manufacturing sector contribution to the Kenyan economy stands at about 1 trillion shillings as per the Economic Survey 2023. This translates to approximately 2.86 billion shillings daily in value addition. Therefore, the country stands to lose up to 2.86 billion shillings daily if the protests continue to disrupt businesses as we have witnessed in the last two weeks.”
According to the KAM Chair, investors heavily rely on a stable political and social climate that ensures the security of their investments while also ensuring that business operations won’t be interfered with.
Additionally, these demonstrations put Kenya’s standing as a desirable investment hub at jeopardy.
He continued by pleading with the Government and Azimio La Umoja to take the initiative and work to end this impasse by peaceful methods like negotiation and any other avenues allowed by the Constitution.
