Lake region governors to focus on road, maritime transport

From left: Governors James Ongwae (Kisii), Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Anyang Nyong'o (Kisumu), John Nyagarama (Nyamira) and Joyce Laboso (Bomet) meet at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital during the Lake Region Economic Bloc summit on January 11, 2019. They are hoping the bloc will rev up business in their regions. PHOTO | VITALIS KIMUTAI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  Ruth Mbula  &  Vitalis Kimutai

What you need to know:

  • Mr Oparanya said there is a lot of interest from private sector players keen on investing in maritime transport in the region.
  • The governors hope that improved maritime transport would ease movement of goods between counties north and south of the lake.

Governors from 14 counties under the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) have vowed to collaborate with the national government to improve key shared infrastructure for the benefit of 15 million residents.

At the end of a two-day summit in Kisii, LREB chiefs said they will focus on road network and maritime transport through Lake Victoria to improve connectivity between counties, which they hope will boost business.

The governors read the resolutions after the meeting that was attended by Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and Principal Secretary Charles Sunkuli.

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“We are keen on refurbishing the ports, landing bays, water hyacinth clearing, and dredging of Lake Victoria,” LREB chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said.

COLLABORATION

Mr Oparanya, who is also the Kakamega Governor, said there is a lot of interest from private sector players keen on investing in maritime transport in the region.

To actualise this dream, the county bosses promised to work with national government agencies including the Kenya National Highways Authority, Kenya Rural Roads Authority and Kenya Urban Roads Authority.

In addition, the regional bloc will collaborate with the Kenya Maritime Authority, charged with water transportation safety, and Kenya Ports Authority, which runs facilities for docking.

The governors hope that improved maritime transport would ease movement of goods between counties north and south of the lake. Currently, the ferry services are irregular and their safety is not guaranteed.

BILL

Mr Oparanya led the county bosses including LREB deputy chairperson Joyce Laboso (Bomet governor) and their colleagues James Ongwae (Kisii), John Nyagarama (Nyamira), Wycliffe Wangamati (Bungoma), Wilberforce Ottichilo (Vihiga) and Prof Anyang Nyongo to send a passionate appeal to ward representatives in the regions to pass the LREB Bill pending before the assemblies.

They said the bill would enable them to set up a regional bank, a flagship project, that would enable them to rollout big development projects in the member counties.

During the opening of the forum on Thursday, it was revealed that four counties were in the verge of passing the generic bill after four others — Kakamega, Kisumu, Kisii and Migori — ratified it.

“In the next two weeks, we expect four county assemblies to pass the bill as they had lagged behind in undertaking public participation meetings,” Mr Ongwae said.

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