4 counties in Sh361m bid to upgrade towns
A jua kali artisan shows Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma (left) and other State officials how he conducts his work, in Kisumu Town on March 9, 2016. Kisumu county will benefit from development funds doled out by the Swedish government. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Governors, in a statement Friday, said the project will help re-draw new plans for their towns to conform to trends occasioned by the advent of devolution.
Kisumu, Homa Bay, Kakamega and Trans Nzoia counties will get Sh361 million to decongest their key towns.
The four counties are part of the seven that will be funded by the Swedish government to improve the planning of their urban centres in a programme dubbed SymbioCity.
Others to be funded in the pilot phase of the remodelling plan are Kitui, Meru, Nakuru. The programme will take 3.5 years.
Governors, in a statement Friday, said the project will help re-draw new plans for their towns to conform to trends occasioned by the advent of devolution.
“The counties were selected based on their potential to bring about transformation in accordance with the SymbioCity methodology,” said the statement.
Most towns face development challenges stemming from lack of updated planning policies.
The SymbioCity, according to the governors, seeks to improve the status of their towns in line with the Constitution.
Council of Governors urban development committee chairman Julius Malombe said the law mandates counties to develop urban and rural areas as integrated areas of economic and social activities in harmony with national planning.
