Japanese Embassy officials tour Kamukunji, praise local innovation and enterprise

Kamukunji Constituency on Friday hosted officials from the Embassy of Japan in Kenya, who toured the area to assess various community and economic development initiatives.

Among the visiting dignitaries were Yukie Suzuki, who is in charge of Kenyan political affairs at the Japanese Embassy, and Hiroshi Maruoka, a Commercial Trade Attaché. They were received by the area Member of Parliament, Yusuf Hassan.

The visit commenced at Kamukunji Technical and Vocational College, where the two officials were briefed on the institution’s operations. The college principal, Simon Njoroge, outlined the wide array of technical and vocational courses offered.

Currently, the institution offers training in 67 different disciplines. It is staffed by 40 instructors and is well-equipped with tools and facilities to support hands-on learning across various technical fields.

The delegation then proceeded to the California Resource Centre, home to Kenya’s first community-based Ajira Centre. The Ajira programme aims to empower young people with digital skills for online work.

At the centre, Suzuki and Maruoka interacted with trainees engaged in various forms of remote work. The centre provides the training at no cost.

Demand for the programme has grown steadily, with some participants travelling from outside Nairobi, including Kiambu County, to attend the sessions.

Next, the officials visited a local coffee shop in Eastleigh, where Suzuki sampled coffee made with camel milk for the first time. Smiling after her first sip, she said, "It tastes well; it's so good."

The delegation then headed to the Nairobi Handicraft Market, where they observed artisans creating crafts and souvenirs using traditional methods. They watched as sculptors crafted curios from raw materials—items that are later sold in Maasai markets across the country. As a token of appreciation, the officials were gifted handmade curios depicting a giraffe and a zebra.

The final stop of the visit was the Jua Kali Market, East and Central Africa’s largest informal manufacturing hub. The visitors were shown different sections of the market where artisans engage in metalwork, woodwork, electronics repair, furniture making, and automotive services. The sector is notable for its use of locally available materials and homegrown skills to produce essential goods and services for the community.

Speaking to Eastleigh Voice after the tour, Suzuki said, "I was amazed by the hardworking nature of the people in Kamukunji," she said.

She added that the visit had challenged her previous assumptions about the area.

"It is my first time coming here. It’s so vibrant. I’m surprised. It’s a big difference from my earlier image," she noted.

Reflecting on the level of business activity and urban development in Eastleigh, she added, "They are doing business, the buildings are so tall. It’s like a city within a city. It’s not a small town."

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Suzuki concluded by expressing her eagerness to return. "I’m very happy to have visited Eastleigh and Kamukunji in person and would like to come back again," she said.

Kamukunji has increasingly attracted the interest of foreign diplomats, with several ambassadors and high commissioners touring the area in recent months.