Inside Govt's New Huduma Centres for Businesses

The government has launched one-stop business centres across the country modelled after the Huduma Centres. The centres bring together institutions in the business and trade sector.

The Biashara Centers, as they are known, will provide essential government services under one roof in order to make service delivery efficient across the country.

Services to be offered in the centres include tax compliance, registration, MSMEs loans and branding registration support. 

The opening of a Biashara Centre in Mombasa in March 2021.

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Small businesses and enterprises will benefit from easy access to services such as permits and licensing.

The centres are also geared to provide training on production, product certification, and systems accreditation.

Various government agencies already been deployed in the centres include the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Numerical Machining Complex (NMC), Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS), Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI), Kenya Industrial and Development Institute (KIRDI), Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) and Kenya Industrial Estates (KIE).

Other services to be provided at the center include promoting, regulating, and developing MSMEs to boost growth in the sector.  

The first Biashara Centre was launched in Kariobangi, Nairobi, and is already operational. In Mombasa, the centre is housed at the KEBS Coast Region office,

In March 2021, Industrialisation CS Betty Maina launched one of the centres in Kisumu, and located at the KIRDI offices.

There are plans to expand the centres in other parts of the country.

She stated that the initiative was in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta's move to enhance access to government services as she urged small-scale traders to take advantage and seek the service.

CS Maina further called for partnerships with county governments so as to popularise the centres for people to take up the services.

CS Betty Maina opening a Biashara Centre in March 2020.

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