Nyanza starts to reap benefits of Uhuru and Raila deal

Cabinet secretaries have started implementing a directive from President Uhuru Kenyatta to initiate development projects in Nyanza as the fruits of his handshake with Opposition leader Raila Odinga start to be seen.

Areas of focus include construction of new roads and improvement of existing ones, eliminating the water hyacinth menace and boosting security of the region.

The directive follows the pledge President Kenyatta made to residents when he visited the region in December last year.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala said they had been given one year to initiate development projects.

“Whatever the President directed in December, we must deliver as government. And we have one year to do that,” Mr Balala said in Bondo last week where he was hosted by Mr Odinga shortly after they visited the Kisumu Port.

Also present were Keriako Tobiko (Environment) and Raphael Tuju, CS without portfolio.

HYACINTH

The visit by the three ministers followed a meeting between Dr Matiang’i and leaders from the region on January 28 in his capacity as the supervisor of the Cabinet.

Under the new arrangement, Mr Tobiko is expected to lead a multi-sectoral team drawn from both the local and national governments to address the hyacinth issue in the shortest time possible.

Mr Balala explained that the government is keen on addressing under-development in Nyanza, a region he described as having a huge potential that should be tapped.

“With the hyacinth, we cannot operationalise the oil jetty. With the weed, we cannot have the cruise line we want and the boats we want to introduce in the lake and create the experience that people want,” he said.

He added that he expects tourists to visit Kisumu just the same way holidaymakers go to the Coast for vacation.

Mr Balala’s aim is to have the western circuit improved to ease packaging and marketing to the whole world.

WILDLIFE

He also announced the planned expansion of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum Museum to be an education centre.

This will entail bringing in more wild animal trophies to help the younger generation understand the history of the region and know more about the first vice president of Kenya.

Mr Odinga pointed out that the CS’s tour was a follow-up of his meeting with the President in Kisumu where they agreed that the port will be operationalised soon.

“In the old days, the lake was used for importation of bulk cargo. We want to ensure this hyacinth is removed as fast as possible,” Mr Odinga said.

“I have noticed the weaknesses that existed among government officers involved in this. We want to see this matter resolved as quickly as possible especially with the establishment of the task force comprising all stakeholder ministries,” Mr Odinga said.

During the meeting between Dr Matiang’i and Nyanza leaders, plans for reviving stalled projects and initiating new ones were reviewed.

PROJECTS

Already, there is a Sh15 billion plan in place to revive Lake Victoria, which will include dredging, removal of water hyacinth, modernisation of the Kisumu port, construction of a ship yard assembly and restoration of the old meter gauge railway from Nakuru to Kisumu.

The MPs will now be charged with identifying the projects to be initiated in their respective regions.

National Assembly Minority Leader John Mbadi said that what was being witnessed was implementation of a promise by the State when the President was in Kisumu to commission Ahero interchange and the Kisumu-Kakamega Road as well as the launch of the pilot of Universal Health Coverage.

Mr Mbadi said Dr Matiang’i was ensuring that their projects are aligned with the relevant ministries.

“The Head of State is keen on developing Kisumu, and this started with the recent launch of dredging of the port and the coming of SGR,” Mr Mbadi - who is a member of the infrastructure committee working with Transport CS James Macharia - said.

Other members are Seme MP James Nyikal, Rongo MP Paul Abuor and Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga.

Funds for the construction of Lichote Airstrip in Migori and expansion of Kabunde Airstrip will be factored in the next budget.