State agencies take advantage of Mombasa show to showcase achievements

A farmer parades his bull before judges a day before the Mombasa International Show starts. State parastatals are set to showcase their achievements and work at the show. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • At the Kenya Roads Board stand, senior engineer Nyamau said show-goers will be enlightened on how the parastatal carries out maintenance and rehabilitation of roads.
  • Tourism Fund will showcase the multi-billion shilling Ronald Ngala Utalii College which is being constructed at Vipingo in Kilifi County.

Mombasa International Show has turned out to be a valuable source of public information on performances by various state agencies.

At the Kenya Ports Authority’s exhibition stand, quality management representative Peter Odera, said the parastatal would showcase the Sh26.4 billion second container terminal project to people who will attend the show that begins on Wednesday at the Mkomani Show Grounds.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to commission the container terminal project at the port of Mombasa on Friday, which has the capacity to handle 500,000 tonnes per year.

The Head of State is also expected to officially open the show at Mkomani Show Ground in Mombasa on Thursday.

At the Kenya Roads Board's stand, senior engineer Nelson Nyamau said show-goers will be enlightened on how the parastatal in collaboration with agencies such as Kenya National Highways Authority and Kenya Urban Roads Authority carries out maintenance and rehabilitation of roads across the country.

Mr Nyamau added that in the last financial year, Kenya Roads Board spent Sh40.5 billion on maintenance and rehabilitation of roads countrywide.

This financial year, he said, the board has been allocated an estimated Sh38.7 billion.

At the Tourism ministry's stand, the Tourism Fund will showcase the multi-billion shilling Ronald Ngala Utalii College which is being constructed at Vipingo in Kilifi County.

Tourism Fund regional manager David Mwangi said the project was 50 per cent complete, adding construction will end early 2018.

Mr Mwangi added that the college is expected to enrol 1,500 students for hospitality courses in 2018.

At the National Irrigation Board’s stand, communications officer Daniel Nzonzo, said since 2011 the parastatal had given 527 greenhouses to women and youth groups, schools and prisons to enable them produce more food.

Show-goers who will visit the NIB stand will also be informed about the multi-billion shilling Galana/Kulalu Irrigation scheme, Bura Irrigation Scheme and Hola Irrigation scheme in Tana River County.

“We will also showcase furrow irrigation system which is being used in Bura, Tana, Pekera and Turkana irrigation schemes,” he said.

Mr Nzonzo explained that NIB was moving from pump-fed to use of gravity, where water moves freely to the irrigated farms.

“NIB is geared towards making Kenya a food secure country through the use of different irrigation methods,” he said.

At the Export Promotion Council’s stand, the general manager Kenneth Murimi, said they will showcase how Kenyans can export various locally made products to markets around the world.

“During the show, Export Promotion Council will enlighten the public on the advantages of exporting products and the available opportunities which they can capitalize on,” he said.

The leading export markets for Kenya include Uganda, Netherlands, US, UK, Pakistan, Tanzania, UAE, DR Congo, Egypt and Rwanda.

Mr Murimi added that the emerging export markets for the country include east and central Europe and West Africa.

At the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission’s stand, senior education officer Lydia Manyasi said they will educate show-goers on corruption.

Visitors to the stand will also be informed on the ill effects of corruption, benefits of fighting it and the role of individuals in the war on graft.