NAIROBI, Kenya -                             Manufacturing pillar in Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda has received a shot in the arm following the launch of ultra-modern industrial park in Kiambu County by Bidco Group.

The park launched by President Uhuru and attended by Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto and the country’s ex-Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has created 1000 direct jobs and another 5000 indirectly and contracts over 35,000 farmers across the country in supply of raw materials.

“The park we are launching today sits well in country’s agenda of creating jobs and increasing manufacturing sector contribution to our economy from the current 8.4 per cent to 15 per cent over the medium term,” President Uhuru said.

“There are over 40 similar parks ready for launch across the country as a result of both local and international investors,” he added.

The ultra-modern complex developed by Bidco Africa, East Africa’s largest Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) manufacturer, will host the company’s beverage and food processing factory.

The park, which sits on part of an 80-acre parcel of industrial land within Tatu City, comprises of a 550,000 litres per day effluent treatment plant, a 90,000 litres per hour water filtration facility and a 66 kilovolts power station to supply 7.5 megawatts of electricity to the park.

The president encouraged more investors into the country owing to a stable political environment, friendly policies and improved infrastructure witnessed in different parts of the nation.

In his own part, the Deputy President commended the president for infrastructure developments.

The former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, however asked President Uhuru to reduce the cost of transport to spur growth in the manufacturing sector, while noting that the current energy cost does not inspire investors enough.