On 7^th August 2024, the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) CEO, Ms. Carole Kariuki, met with the Kilifi County Governor, His Excellency Gideon Mung'aro, in Nairobi. This meeting aimed to forge and strengthen the relationship between KEPSA and the Kilifi County Government ahead of the Kilifi County Investment Conference. The meeting was also attended by Ms. Doris Olutende, the KEPSA Public Private Dialogue (PPD) Manager, along with members of the Kilifi County Executive Committee and other top county officials.

The speakers at the meeting discussed how both parties could collaborate before, during, and after the Kilifi County Investment Conference to market the county as a key investment destination in the coastal region. They explored various investment opportunities in sectors such as health, agriculture, tourism, education, manufacturing, environment, technology, and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Ms. Carole Kariuki offered insights on how the collaboration between KEPSA and the Kilifi County Government can help the county realize its full potential in three key areas most notably energy, youth population, and land as factors of production to spur economic growth. In regards to the Kilifi County Investment conference, she asked those present to organize something different that will set the pace for other counties further stressing that showcasing success stories from investors during the event will go a long away into encouraging new investments, “By the time people meet at the conference all issues should have been agreed, they should just be there to put ink to paper”. Ms. Kariuki mentioned several areas of collaboration between KEPSA and the Kilifi County government, such as organising quarterly roundtables, training youths in Kilifi on online work through the Ajira Digital program and also partnering with the KEPSA Foundation to empower women in Kilifi County.

Governor Gideon Mung'aro praised the initiative as a significant step in fostering partnerships between the county government and the private sector, extending beyond the Kilifi County Investment Conference. He said he wants this to be different devoid of political rhetoric and empty discussions but rather to set the path of positioning Kilifi as an investment hub, “One of the things we have done to encourage investment in the county is through establishing the partnership office to facilitate investors to access all the services at one point”

The Kilifi County investment conference is set to take place between 4^th and 6^th November 2024.