The Government is set to establish five Special Economic Zones (SEZs) across the country to create employment opportunities, empower the youth, and drive sustainable development.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) John Mbadi highlighted the initiative’s potential to provide a favorable environment for both local and international investments.
CS Mbadi revealed government’s plans to prioritize Kisumu County for the program. He revealed that 10,000 acres of land in Kibos area, Miwani, have been earmarked for a SEZ.
“The Treasury will allocate substantial funding in the next budget to kickstart the development of industrial parks, free trade zones, and business service parks to benefit the local communities,” he remarked during a church service at the Othoo SDA church in Nyando Sub County.
The SEZ in Kisumu, the CS noted, targets to tackle barriers to business operations including high energy costs, limited transport linkages, restricted market access and bureaucratic inefficiencies.
Mbadi noted Kisumu’s strategic importance as a rapidly growing city with immense potential for local and foreign investment.
Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o speaking at the same event, lauded the government’s commitment to the SEZ program, emphasizing the county’s vast resources and strategic location.
“Kisumu is endowed with huge land, a skilled workforce, favorable climate, and access to the East African market via road and Lake Victoria. Together with the Treasury, we are creating an environment for investors to come and capitalize on these resources that have been underutilized, to produce goods for local market and exports to the neighboring countries,” said the Governor.
At the same time, he noted that Kisumu’s upcoming activity on hosting the African Sub-Sovereign Network Conference (AFSNET) from November 25th to 27th attended by investors and business partners from across Africa will be a game changer.
The summit, Prof. Nyong’o added, targets to strengthen trade investment network between Kisumu and other nations with devolved system of governance in Africa
The occasion was also attended by Energy CS James Wandayi, and his counterpart for East Africa Community, Beatrice Askul among other leaders.
By Robert Ojwang’
