Former President Uhuru Kenyatta would not hide his admiration for a Kisumu trader who rose from selling Mitumba to owning an exporting factory in Kisumu.
Speaking on Tuesday, August 2, the former head of state recounted how he met the lady a few months ago when she was an ordinary trader in Kisumu.
Following his speech on the need to empower traders nationwide, the lady bought into his idea. She diverted her savings to buy a sewing machine.
Through months of saving, she established Dada Export Processing Limited in Kisumu, a garment manufacturing factory, which Uhuru commissioned on Monday, August 1.
"Last night, I had the opportunity of going to open a factory here through CS Betty Maina as much as I was tired. We went to a factory owned by a young Kenyan lady I met some years ago.
She was among a group of people I was trying to persuade them that, as a country, we should move from this business of Mitumba to manufacturing, and we did not castigate the business. many did not understand the point I was trying to drive, but this young lady did. Last night I had the opportunity to open a facility she has developed here in Kisumu," Uhuru explained.
Revealing the transformation journey of Dada Export Processing Limited, Uhuru divulged that the firm had employed 150 qualified professionals with a competitive salary and other benefits. Initially, the factory only had three employees.
"She now has 150 employees permanent and pensionable; she targets to employ thousands by December. I have no problem with, hustling, but it should be a step towards something greater," Uhuru explained amid applause from the crowd.
He projected that the factory, in conjunction with the Export Processing Zones (EPZ), would create more job opportunities for skilled youths in the vast Western region.
Uhuru spoke during the official inauguration of Kenya Shipyards Limited and witnessed the flotation of the new 1,800-tonne MV Uhuru II wagon ferry.
The Ksh2.3 billion MV Uhuru II is the first locally manufactured ship by Kenya Shipyards Limited working with Dutch partner Damen Shipyards.
According to Uhuru, the flagship project aimed to position Kenya as a regional ship-building hub and unlock the country's immense blue economy potential.
