KISII county government plans to put up a Sh12 billion mixed-use housing block on an estimated 50 acres in partnership with Chinese firm Boleyn Magic Wall Panel.
The two signed a Memorandum of Understanding for project, dubbed New Kisii City, following the inaugural Kisii Entrepreneurship Summit last week.
Moke Gardens, real estate developer, is the local partner for the project.
Governor James Ongwae and the firm’s managing director Jack Liu signed the MoU in a ceremony on Monday.
Boleyn Magic Wall Panel will construct 2,000 units under the project, including residences, banking halls, office blocks, a shopping mall, schools, a health centre and a conference hall.
To implement the project, the firm will set up a pre-cast plant in the county. It will also train 1,000 youth and women for employment in the first year. The plant is expected to serve up to 13 counties that form the Lake Region Economic Bloc.
“I would like to thank the investor for coming to Kisii and expressing interest in building the new city in Kisii,” Ongwae said. “We have laid the necessary ground ready for take-off in order to spur development. Working with the County Assembly, we will do our best to avail land and any other support for the investor.”
Moke Gardens managing director Harun Nyamboki said the planned use of pre-fabricated panels will be cost-effective because it reduces construction time and produces better quality houses.
Preliminary feasibility studies have indicated the viability of the project, he said. The precast plant will require 20 acres of land while the new city will initially take 50 acres of land to set up.
The project will be a major boost to the Kisii county economy, with projected direct jobs estimated at 1,000 and more than 20,000 indirect jobs.
