Seven counties will face a fresh review of their County Aggregation and Industrial Parks on Wednesday as Deputy President Kithure Kindiki leads efforts to resolve infrastructure gaps standing in the way of completing and opening the projects.
The meeting will bring together representatives from Meru, Embu, Kirinyaga, Kisii, Garissa, Wajir and Migori, with discussions expected to centre on the state of facilities needed before the parks can be commissioned and put into use.
The August 26 meeting follows a resolution reached by the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) during its 30th Ordinary Session held on Monday at the Office of the Deputy President at Karen Residence in Nairobi.
IBEC called for a special session involving the seven counties to examine the “enabler infrastructure status, commissioning and operationalization” of their respective County Aggregation and Industrial Parks.
The talks are expected to bring the national and county governments together to establish what remains to be done and agree on measures that can help the projects reach completion and commissioning without further delays.
Kindiki, who chairs IBEC, is expected to oversee the discussions as the government works to move the CAIPs programme forward across the country.
The Council's decision comes as questions over funding continue to affect the wider rollout of the industrial parks.
IBEC directed the National Treasury and the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry to work with the Office of the Deputy President and the Council of Governors in engaging Parliament over financing for the remaining CAIPs.
At the centre of the funding discussions is Sh3.25 billion that IBEC wants Parliament to restore through the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill (CGAAB), 2026.
The allocation is meant to finance 13 County Aggregation and Industrial Parks that are yet to be supported under the programme.
While the broader financing question remains on the government's agenda, Wednesday's discussions will give priority to the seven counties identified for the special meeting.
Officials will assess the infrastructure already in place, establish the areas that still require attention and consider what needs to happen before the parks can be commissioned.
The emphasis on enabling infrastructure is expected to cover the facilities and services that counties need to have in place for the parks to operate once the projects are completed.
IBEC has also called for joint action between the national and county governments in implementing the parks, placing responsibility on both levels of government to address issues affecting their progress.
The CAIPs initiative forms part of the government's wider plan to promote industrial activity within counties by providing facilities where businesses can undertake manufacturing and add value to local products.
The programme is intended to strengthen economic activity at the county level by creating infrastructure to support value addition and manufacturing.
The IBEC communiqué was signed by Kindiki and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, the chairperson of the Council of Governors.
The Council has at the same time asked the Senate to speed up the passage of the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill, 2026, to support the timely release of funds to counties.
The push comes at a time when the government is seeking to deal with outstanding infrastructure needs and funding challenges affecting the CAIPs programme.
The Wednesday meeting, scheduled for 7am, is expected to bring together the seven counties and relevant national government agencies for a detailed review of the projects.
Officials will assess progress, point out remaining gaps and agree on the actions required to take each project closer to completion and commissioning.
The meeting will also give the seven counties an opportunity to demonstrate their readiness to operate the parks once the required infrastructure has been completed.