By Jeff Kizzilah
Transformation Agenda amid a call by the President Ruto to be more vocal in National Economic Matters.
The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) has launched its 2024-2029 Strategic Plan.
In the plan, the institution envisions itself as: “a leading voice in engineering” and aims “to enhance professionalism and welfare in engineering practice for service to humanity”.
The IEK was established in 1972 and is the learned society of the engineering profession in Kenya. The institution co-operates with national and international institutions in developing and applying engineering to the benefit of humanity.
IEK has grown its membership from 10,311, up from 6,215 in 2019 representing a 65.9% increase. In the new Strategy, the institution seeks to position itself as the go-to primary authority for responsive, responsible, progressive, sustainable, and public benefit engineering solutions providers.
Speaking during the ceremony IEK President Engineer Erick Ohaga said IEK has strengthen the community the organization will also aim to strengthen itself by transitioning into a financially independent society sufficiently resourced to effectively advance the interests of members.
The institution draws its membership from practicing engineers in the local & central government departments, parastatals, private industry, consultants, contractors, educators, designers, manufacturers and other professionals interested in engineering among others.
The IEK is decentralized and boasts branches in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, and Isiolo. In the plan, the organization will upscale its regional efforts leveraging the branches to empower the counties and undertake more outreach activities.
During the 4th Engineering Partnerships,the President William Ruto called on engineers to exploit emerging opportunities for innovation and make a contribution to national socio-economic transformation.
The President noted that the engineers who manage all the large infrastructure in the country are set to benefit from the housing plan, super highway, and universal health coverage among others.
It is important to note that the engineers are now ready to rise to the challenge and raise their voices in political discourse affecting members and the engineering profession through strengthened collaboration with national and county governments.
The engineers are set to leverage the existing infrastructure to support country value addition, manufacturing, and industrialization. Currently, the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP in the country is at 7.8% with a target to grow to 20% by 2030. There is a country goal to enhance value added output from the current USD 8.5B to USD 50B within the same time period unlocking five (5) million jobs according to a report by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers.
The government has identified the cotton, leather, pyrethrum, pharmaceutical, housing, edible oils and automotive sector among the priority value chains for rapid development and employment in the region.
The Engineers will be looking to support the development of last mile infrastructure to connect counties to markets and county aggregation and business development centres MSMEs upgrading and modernization and linkages with institutions, identification of one county one product and county common processing centres, digitalization of business and development among others.