Ranguma asks residents to fete Uhuru Kenyatta

Governor Jack Ranguma has urged Kisumu residents to welcome President Uhuru Kenyatta when he opens the second governors’ conference in the county on Wednesday.

Mr Ranguma said it was an honour to host the event as there had been stiff competition among the 47 counties.

The governor said all was set for the conference and told leaders raising dissenting voices that it will come with good tidings for the residents.

“This meeting will benefit all of us. It is our responsibility to show leadership by embracing it at whatever level we are involved in,” he said at Kisumu Airport after a trip from France.

He said hotels in the county and in neighbouring Siaya, Vihiga and Kakamega will also benefit from the conference.

PRESIDENT'S MEAL

“Hoteliers must agree with us that State House decides who prepares the President’s meals; this will only be for the day he will be here. We have an agreement that they will cater for the guests on the rest of the conference days,” Mr Ranguma said.

It was agreed at a meeting with Kisumu hotel owners on Friday night that meals will be provided by two establishments.

Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura chaired the meeting attended by Ministry of Devolution officials that went on for more than three hours.

“We agreed to engage two hotels who will serve breakfast and lunch as well as dinner where possible,” said Mr Obura.

Imperial Hotel and Royal City were chosen while other establishments that had expressed interest were offered an opportunity to provide accommodation for the delegates.

“This is the ultimate test of our capacity as hosts and I am optimistic we will not disappoint,” Mr Obura said.

Governor Ranguma said the President wanted residents of the county to benefit from the conference.

He said that in this regard, all accommodation revenue will go to the hoteliers.

“They will earn a lot of money from bed nights. Further more, apart from being the host, Kisumu is contributing towards the conference as this is a national function,” said Mr Ranguma.

He appealed to residents to be orderly.

“Reduce noise levels because that might frighten our visitors. We need to understand that this meeting could have been hosted anywhere else but we lobbied hard,” he said.

The governor said most of the food that will be served at the conference will be sourced locally.

“They will not bring fish from Nairobi, nor will they airlift tomatoes and vegetables; these will be supplied by our farmers,” Mr Ranguma said.

Acting Speaker Gabriel Ochieng, who had accompanied the governor to France, said the meeting was a major boost for Kisumu’s economy.

“We will work with the leaders who have decided to work with us,” he said.