Nairobi, Kenya- 22nd November – The Senate of the 12th Parliament is scheduled to hold its inaugural Speaker’s Round Table (SPRT) with members of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA).

Discussions at the two-day meeting (23 – 24 November) in Ukunda, Kwale County will revolve around the role of the counties in helping implement the Big Four agenda.

Senate Speaker Rt Hon Sen Kenneth Lusaka described the inaugural meeting as testament to the significance of the relationship between KEPSA and the House he leads.

“This year’s Roundtable is crucial as it provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the milestones achieved during the term of the Senate of the 11th Parliament, take stock of where we are, and accelerate the attainment of sustainable development,” said Sen Lusaka.

Speaker Lusaka observed that the Senate, in its role of safeguarding the interests of the counties, was critical in ensuring an enabling environment for business.

“Greater onus is on the Senate to debate and pass legislation that provides not only an enabling environment in the counties for the private-sector but also makes business sense to promote uptake of PPPs across all sectors of the Big Four,” said Speaker Lusaka.The Speaker added that he looks forward to discourse at the Speaker’s Roundtable on proposed amendments to the PPP Act of 2013 – to spur economic development in the counties.

KEPSA Chief Executive Officer, Carole Kariuki said the Speaker’s Roundtable is one of the engagement platforms the lobby group has established to help make it easier for companies to do business in Kenya.

“With devolution, KEPSA identified the counties as the most important administrative units where business is concerned, and the Senate plays an important part in ensuring that counties can become the frontiers of economic development and progress,” said Ms Kariuki.

The first Speaker’s Roundtable with the Senate was held in October 2013, setting the pace for subsequent annual meetings, where KEPSA and the House have been engaging on matters regarding devolution, ease of doing business and a conducive legislative environment.

“There are a lot of achievements we can count from the time we began these engagements with the Senate, chief of which is that we have a clear understanding of the way our institutions work,” Ms Kariuki added.

She said this understanding is among the reasons KEPSA regularly provides input to Bills that affect business and are considered crucial to the development of the private sector.

KEPSA considers the reduction of the cost of doing business within and across counties important if Kenya is to meet the objective of increasing the contribution of manufacturing to the GDP to 15 per cent by 2022. 

The last Speaker’s Roundtable with the Senate was convened on 28 – 30 July, 2016. KEPSA met with the current Senate during the Senate Induction in September 2017.

The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) is a limited liability membership organisation registered in 2003 as the apex body of private sector in Kenya.