Trade ,Tourism and Cooperatives
The government has identified the Big four as the key pillars for development. These include manufacturing, housing, healthcare and agriculture. The Department is driving and positioning Nakuru County as a manufacturing base as well as a hub for business, trade and finance.
The Departments main activities are geared towards creating a conducive and supportive environment for business, especially through appropriate legislative framework to support business and investment activities. It is also responsible for stimulating domestic and foreign investment and is working to upgrade the entire framework for attracting investment — the lifeblood of industrial activity. To this end the county is partnering with the private equity investors to develop the Naivasha Textile city (which has the capacity to employ over 50,000 workers), the Egerton Agri-city park and the Oserian 2 residential park.
Mandate
The Constitution of Kenya under schedule 4 has devolved the following functions that relate to Trade development and regulation, including:
(a) markets;
(b) trade licences (excluding regulation of professions);
(c) fair trading practices;
(d) local tourism; and
(e) cooperative societies.
The Department has three Directorates namely:
- Trade and Industry
- Tourism and Marketing
- Co-operatives
Vision
Globally competitive and sustainable industrial, enterprise and cooperative sector
Mission
To create an enabling environment through a legal and regulatory framework that will facilitate for a competitive, sustainable Industrial, enterprise and Co-operative sector.
Role of Trade and Industrialization
- Provision of an enabling environment for domestic and foreign direct investment;
- Capacity building in technical, entrepreneurial and managerial skills for the industrial sector;
- Facilitation of the development and enforcement of quality standards
- Creation and promotion of market linkages for MSMIs;
- Facilitation of access to short, medium and long-term financing for MSMIs through bona-fide financial intermediaries;
- Monitoring and evaluation of project implementation and impact;
- Facilitating in protecting consumers from counterfeit products.
Role of Tourism Directorate
- Market the county as a premiere tourism hub
- Development of Tourism niche products / packages
- Conference and convention centers for tourism
- Medical Tourism for Level 5 and 4 Hospitals
- Sports Tourism through hikes and marathons
- Agri-Tourism
- Developing entertainment parks, archaeological sites and camp sites
- Eco – Tourism
- Infrastructure development for Tourist attractions of monuments
- Cultural Tourism (Homestays) under the Airb2b concept
Role of Co-operatives
- Cooperative Financing policy
- Supervision and Oversight over Cooperative Societies
- Registration of co-operative societies
- Cooperative Audit services
- Coordination of development programs in the co-operative sub-sector
- Co-operative Production and Marketing
- Cooperative Legislation and Support Services
- Co-operative education and training
- Promotion of Co-operative Ventures
- Co-operative Financing Policy
- Co-operative Savings, Credit and Financial Services Policy
Physical Location:
Telephone: (051) 2214142
Email: cec-trade@nakuru.go.ke
- County Executive – Stephen Muiruri
Grievance Redress Mechanism
The Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) for the Department of Trade, Cooperatives, Tourism, and Culture is a structured platform designed to receive, address, and resolve public complaints related to trade activities, cooperative societies, tourism services, and cultural affairs. It provides an accessible channel for community members to submit grievances regarding issues like licensing, cooperative management, tourist site conditions, or cultural heritage preservation. Once a grievance is submitted, the system categorizes it, issues an acknowledgment, and assigns it to the appropriate unit within the department. This GRM promotes accountability, service quality, and transparency in the department’s operations, enhancing public trust and satisfaction.
Physical Location:
Telephone: (051) 2214142
Email: cec-trade@nakuru.go.ke
- County Executive – Stephen Muiruri