NAIROBI, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Kenya manufacturers' expo, showcasing local products, kicked off in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi Tuesday, aiming to boost the local industrial sector.
Juma Mukhwana, principal secretary for the State Department of Industry, said that the sixth edition of the Kenya Manufacturing Summit and Expo, known as the Changamka Shopping Festival, will bring together more than 100 exhibitors who will display and sell their products from Tuesday to Saturday.
"Some of the products showcased are of the highest quality, which we export to the United States, Europe, the other African countries, and other markets," Mukhwana said.
The Kenyan government will continue to collaborate with local manufacturers to create a conducive business environment so that they can produce competitive goods both domestically and internationally, he said.
Mukhwana added that the festival is one of the platforms that will accelerate the growth of the manufacturing sector's contribution to the country's economy, increasing it from the current 7.2 percent to 20 percent by 2030.
Anthony Mwangi, the chief executive officer of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, said that the expo provides an opportunity to celebrate the country's industrial sector and its diversity.
"As an industry, we aim to dispel the long-held belief that local goods are of inferior quality and reduce our reliance on imports," Mwangi said.
The exhibition will include participants from the textile, leather, agro-processing, electrical, and metals sectors, he added.
