Today, April 26th was the World Intellectual Property Day, this year’s theme is “World Intellectual Property Day Kenya – IP & SMEs: Taking your ideas to market”
In Kenya, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), together with other industry stakeholders i.e. Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development, Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI), The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry(IFPI), Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) with support from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) organized a webinar.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the contemporary world, which is characterized by the era of information age, is fast changing necessitating us all, especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), to be prepared in such a manner that we can leverage on these changes to facilitate the country to harness its huge industrial property rights (IPRs) potential”, John Onyango, KIPI MD
The webinar was also attended by different representatives of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and Academia.
Five MSMEs that showcased how registering their intellectual property(ies) and how it has helped nurture their businesses were awarded.
KIPI has supported the training of Kenyans, particularly in the MSME sector in intellectual property rights. The institute has further assisted MSMEs to acquire IPRs and brand their products.
“Kitui honey in Kitui County Koriema honey in Baringo County Fish leather in Kisumu County Peanut butter in Homa Bay County were trained on IP matters”, the statement from the MD read.
The message from the ministry was one of support of the IPRs, Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina praised the leading role IPRS play in encouraging innovation and creativity.
“Digital age is with us and I challenge ourselves to lead the park in the global community, an aspect Kenyans have already demonstrated in some fields. Indeed, in line with the role of IPRs in encouraging innovation and creativity, we are conducting our 2021 WIP Day celebrations virtually and through other forms of communication like the rest of the world, which has come up with innovative and creative ways of living in the new normal environment as a result of the Pandemic”.
The government also spoke of the need to merge the three bodies, i.e KIPI, KECOBO and Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) into one Kenya Intellectual Property Authority (KIPA), which the ministry described as ‘holding much promise in delivering a strong, efficient and effective agency to fulfill this mandate” and commits to fast-track the process.
‘Towards this end, we have finalized developing Intellectual Property Bill, 2020 and a Cabinet Memo to progress the same to Cabinet for eventual enactment.
Kenya has made great policy strides in facilitating the MSMEs through the enactment of the Micro and Small Enterprise Act No. 55 of 2012 which established the Micro and Small Enterprise Authority (MSEA), a State agency charged with the promotion, development and regulation of the MSMEs.
Further, Kenya now has in place Kenya Micro and Small Enterprises Policy, which aims at addressing the unique and peculiar challenges which weigh down MSMEs. These includes the need for (i) Entrenchment of entrepreneurial culture; (ii) Skills and capacity development; (iii) Access to domestic and export markets (iv) Access to a diversified and affordable range of financial products and services; (v) Access to decent and affordable infrastructure; (vi) Facilitation of start-ups; (vii) Promotion of formalization.
Fintech firm Kibo Capital Group Limited was among those awarded.
The award was sponsored by Microsoft East Africa Limited.
FULL SPEECHES
Betty Maina, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development.
I join Kenyans and the world community at large today in marking
Although today we are holding the celebrations under the Government’s Covid-19 Pandemic containment protocols, matters intellectual property must not lose the pomp and glamour;
the very creativity of the human mind implied can be invoked to bring about virtual representation of the physical world, thus allowing us to engage and display our innovative products, thus delivering the celebrations to many, while enjoying the comfort of their homes, businesses and offices.
Were it not for the COVID-19, this morning I would be presiding over an opening ceremony of a physical workshop, then tour stands at an exhibition and thereafter present awards to winners at a ceremony complete with a large media presence.
However, this is not to be for today and this, too, must cause us to summon our creative genius to provide viable alternatives for conducting such celebrations in a manner that is both efficient and effective.
Digital age is with us and I challenge ourselves to lead the park in the global community, an aspect Kenyans have already demonstrated in some fields.
Indeed, in line with the role of IPRs in encouraging innovation and creativity, we are conducting our 2021 WIP Day celebrations virtually and through other forms of communication like the rest of the world, which has come up with innovative and creative ways of living in the new normal environment as a result of the Pandemic.
Intellectual property (IP) has long been recognized and used by industrialized countries, and is being used by an ever-increasing number of developing countries, as an important tool of technological and social-economic development.
Many countries are aware that it is in their best interest to establish national IP systems where they do not exist, and to strengthen and upgrade existing systems to adequately respond to new and emerging trends.
Countries have laws to protect IP to give statutory expression to the moral and economic rights of creators in their creations, and to promote, as a deliberate act of government policy, creativity and the dissemination and application of its results, and to encourage fair trading, thus contributing to economic and social development.
Intellectual property rights make it possible for the innovators to establish themselves more readily, to penetrate new markets with minimum risk, and to amortize the investments made in the research that led to the innovations in the first place.
In turn, these innovations spearhead some of the most advanced technologies. This is becoming more and more apparent in the modern world increasingly dominated by technology.
The Constitution of Kenya recognizes intellectual property as a property right and creates an obligation for the government to promote, protect, support and enhance intellectual property rights of the people of Kenya (Articles 11, 40(5), 69 and 260).
The merger of Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI), Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) and the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) into the proposed Kenya Intellectual Property Authority (KIPA) holds much promise in delivering a strong, efficient and effective agency to fulfill this mandate.
Towards this end, we have finalized developing Intellectual Property Bill, 2020 and a Cabinet Memo to progress the same to Cabinet for eventual enactment. We commit to fast-track the remaining process.
This year’s event, whose theme is IP & SMEs: Taking your ideas to market, aptly captures the Government’s policy direction of facilitating entrepreneurs in the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector.
We are determined to help the sector to conceptualize businesses opportunities and to commercialize creativity and innovations in order boost the sector`s role in the country’s job creation, economic growth and poverty eradication.
Kenya has made great policy strides in facilitating the MSMEs.
The enactment of the Micro and Small Enterprise Act No. 55 of 2012 established the Micro and Small Enterprise Authority (MSEA), a State agency charged with the promotion, development and regulation of the MSMEs.
Further, we now have in place Kenya Micro and Small Enterprises Policy, which aims at addressing the unique and peculiar challenges which weigh down MSMEs. These includes the need for:- (i) Entrenchment of entrepreneurial culture; (ii) Skills and capacity development; (iii) Access to domestic and export markets (iv) Access to a diversified and affordable range of financial products and services; (v) Access to decent and affordable infrastructure; (vi) Facilitation of start-ups; (vii) Promotion of formalization.
John Onyango – KIPI MD
As an Institute, I feel greatly honoured by your presence in today’s celebrations because WIP Day is an important event in the Institute’s calendar of activities as a National Intellectual Property (IP) office.
This is because the Day is an avenue through which the Institute annually interacts and exchanges ideas with its key stakeholders in the IP and other sectors of the economy,
But perhaps more importantly, it offers the Institute an opportunity to celebrate the inventors, innovators, IP owners and users, in resonance with this year’s theme, IP & SMEs: Taking your ideas to market.
Ladies and gentlemen, the contemporary world, which is characterized by the era of information age, is fast changing necessitating us all, especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), /to be prepared in such a manner that we can leverage on these changes to facilitate the country to harness its huge industrial property rights (IPRs) potential.
This year’s WIP Day theme, which focuses on MSMEs utilizing the IP system to commercialise, is not a new venture for the Institute in that, over the years, it has been partnering with other stakeholders to facilitate to leverage on IP not only to commercialise but also utilise it as a tool to improve their productivity and competitiveness in the market.
Although the Institute has a role in all the Big Four Agenda sectors, the Board is particularly keen that the Institute plays a key role in implementing the manufacturing pillar through mainstreaming IP management.
In this regard, the Institute is undertaking the following:- First, timely registration of industrial property rights for businesses including MSMEs, which promotes fair trade practices conducive for investment in the country.
Secondly, it provides industrial property information on technologies in the public domain, Since protection of patents, utility models and industrial designs is time bound, upon expiry of the statutory period the technologies protected fall in the public domain.
This allows MSMEs to exploit these technologies without infringement of industrial property rights.
Thirdly, it also facilitates partnerships and linkages between holders of IPRs and industry for commercialization In this regard, the Institute has developed guidelines for commercialization of industrial property rights in Kenya.
The guidelines will be implemented in collaboration with various Institute stakeholders such as the Kenya Innovation Agency (KENIA) and others Further, it Identifies and nurtures MSMEs to enhance their productivity and competitiveness This includes sensitization of MSMEs on the importance of IPRs, assisting them to acquire IPRs and brand their products In particular, the regional sensitization workshops it held between 2018 and 2020 in which over 1,000 MSME owners.
Snippet of other speeches
Lawrence Karanja, Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development
I am glad to join Kenyans this morning in marking the 2021 World Intellectual Property (WIP) Day, a very important day in the United Nations (UN)’s calendar celebrated under the stewardship of the WIPO
I am particularly impressed by this year’s event because of its theme IP & SMEs: Taking your ideas to market, because it touches on three key aspect of the Government’s development agenda
#WIPDay2021 Theme touches on the MSMEs, which is a key sector of our economy under our long-term economic development blue-print, Vision 2030, and accounts for more than 80 per cent of businesses in Kenya
WIPDay2021 Theme touches on commercialisation of ideas, which essentially is what the Government is pushing through various policy changes –value addition and marketing of our products as part of HE President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big 4 Agenda
Theme as a country moving towards a knowledge-based economy,IP)is one of the enablers that will play a crucial role in placing our businesses in a better position in the global map
I am, therefore, happy that the Ministry through KIPI and in collaboration with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), is hosting this celebration.
This is a good initiative to increase awareness on IP amongst our people, especially the MSMEs, regarding the registration, protection and commercialization of their IP rights.
I urge the participants to utilise whatever they learn today and apply in their businesses. For the IP owners and users who are being awarded today I say congratulations and keep the good work.
inventors and innovators recognized and awarded for their inventions.
Samuel Matonda, CEO KNCCI
We most sincerely thank and encourage all innovative entrepreneurs for venturing into unique businesses, hence making true this year’s WIP Day Theme, “IP & SMEs: Taking Your Ideas to the Market”.
As the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, we will continue supporting you to “Grow Your Business Together”.
Digital age is with us and I challenge ourselves to lead the park in the global community, an aspect Kenyans have already demonstrated in some fields.
However, this is not to be for today and this, too, must cause us to summon our creative genius to provide viable alternatives for conducting such celebrations in a manner that is both efficient and effective.
The full speeches during the event can be downloaded from the attached PDF.
http://www.kipi.go.ke/images/docs/WIP%20DAY%202021%20SUPPLEMENT%20DAILY%20NATION.pdf
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