Nakuru on road to city status

NAKURU GOVERNOR LEE KINYANJUI (RIGHT) AND DEPUTY ERIC KORIR DURING AN ASK SHOW IN NAKURU ON AUGUST 20, 2017. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

What you need to know:

  • Nakuru is banking on upcoming Sh1 billion shopping mall owned by a women’s group among other projects as it embarks on the road to city status.
  • Creating a conducive environment that nurtures business will be another plus for the devolved unit, area governor said.
  • Nakuru governor Lee Kinyanjui said that his government will give the Sh1 billion Kenya Women Holding (KWH) shopping mall in Nakuru Town all the support it needs.

Nakuru is banking on upcoming Sh1 billion shopping mall owned by a women’s group among other projects as it embarks on the road to city status.

Creating a conducive environment that nurtures business will be another plus for the devolved unit, area governor said.

Nakuru governor Lee Kinyanjui said that his government will give the Sh1 billion Kenya Women Holding (KWH) shopping mall in Nakuru Town all the support it needs. It has since rebranded to Echo Network Africa.

“I would like to assure women of Nakuru and specifically those who are affiliated to KWH that we shall partner to create wealth and job opportunities because my government believes in the strength of women to transform lives and spur development,” said Mr Kinyanjui.

Mr Kinyanjui said the newest investment is coming at a time when Nakuru Town has set in motion its ambitious target of becoming a city.

He said the choice of the second KWH building in Nakuru is a testimony of the confidence the group has in the region.

“Nakuru has the highest number of SMEs outside Nairobi more than than Kisumu, Eldoret and Mombasa combined and that is why some of the biggest chain of supermarkets such as Nakumatt, Tuskys, Naivas have their roots in Nakuru,” said Kinyanjui.

He said his government would continue to maintain a conducive business environment to attract more investors in Nakuru.

KWH chief executive officer Jenifer Riria said her organisation has so far disbursed more than Sh3 billion in Rift Valley region since inception more than two decades ago.

Digitise approval plans

“KWH project in Nakuru will bring wealth, job creation and spur development in this region,” said Riria.

Mr Kinyanjui said his government is digitalising the approval of building plans to reduce the time taken by investors to start their projects.

He said his county has received building plans worth Sh15 billion which would be approved with time.

The governor said the old council houses would be pulled down and modern units erected to alleviate the shortage of houses.

Mr Kinyanjui said the county has been given a target of 4,000 houses to be constructed as part of the government efforts to end shortage in the country.

On infrastructure, the county chief executive officer said Sh2 billion have been set aside to upgrade roads in Nakuru town.

“We are also thinking of a bypass to end the gridlock that is now forming along the central business district,” said Mr Kinyanjui.

At the same time Mr Kinyanjui said plans were underway to acquire alternative land to construct matatu terminus outside CBD.