Kakamega County Government will work closely with leaders from the National Government on development programmes and projects to ensure they are completed on time.
Governor Fernandes Barasa said the county administration will be meeting with officials from the national government after every three months to discuss the available programmes and projects, their progress, and challenges in an effort to improve the economy of Kakamega County.
The Governor said he has opened wide consultations and collaborations between the county and national government to enable the county government to leverage on opportunities which are available in the national government that would benefit county residents.
He said he will tap into the expertise of officials hailing from Kakamega County who have been appointed into various positions in the National Government Ministries, Directorates, and Agencies (MDAs) to help in providing suggestions and solutions that would open up the available opportunities in the county.
He was speaking during an inaugural meeting between the county executive and officials from the National Government who hail from Kakamega, led by the Principal Secretary State Department for Economic Planning, James Muhati, the Principal Secretary State Department for Higher Education and Research, Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, Chairpersons of State Corporations, and Board Directors.
He said the collaboration will be vital for the county government to complete most of the ongoing projects that include the 750 bed-capacity referral hospital and the 40 000 seat-capacity Bukhungu International Stadium to facilitate hosting of the African Cup of Nations in 2027.
Governor Barasa also said the county government will continuously engage the national government on county flagship projects and programmes, including Kakamega Airstrip, the already launched Sh. 2 billion bulk water project in Malava, and the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) satellite campus in Likuyani, where the family of Wafula Wabuge has already donated 50 acres of land for its construction.
“The County government will continue to enhance optimal utilisation of available resources in line with the available resources from the National Government,” he added.
The Governor noted that there were opportunities in the tourism sector, which he asked the Board Chairman, Tourism Regulatory Authority, Benjamin Washiali, who comes from Mumias East Sub-County, to help the county tap into the sector.
Washiali noted that the Tourism sector in Kakamega and the Western region at large has not received the much-needed attention despite the unique opportunities of the Isikuti dance, the crying stone, cultural practices like circumcision, the Wanga Kingdom leadership, and the Kakamega Tropical Rainforest, among others.
He said with the opening up of the tourism industry in Kakamega, the county government will generate enough revenue from the sector in addition to creating job opportunities for the youth.
“I want to assure the Governor that we will be there, those of us from the national government; we will always be available for you, and we will always keep on consulting with your team so that the national government can work with your county government to make sure that the people of Kakamega County benefit from the leadership of both the national and county governments,” he said.
By Moses Wekesa
