How state will spend billions to grow Isiolo

The national government has embarked on its journey to transform Isiolo county into an economic hub.

On Tuesday, Trade CS Moses Kuria said the Kenya Kwanza government received Sh42 billion from Afriexim Bank and the African Finance Cooperation to fund two major projects.

From the funds, Sh28 billion will go to the completion of the much-awaited abattoir, which has remained unfinished for the last 16 years.

The other Sh14 billion will go towards expanding the Isiolo international airport.

Speaking during a tour of the abbatoir yesterday, Kuria said the government has invited investors from across the globe to embark on the different value chains.

“I have confirmation from 16 international carriers that will come here to get the meat products that will be processed at the facility,” the CS said.

He said this will ensure the people of Isiolo and the region get the best value from the facility in terms of meat and other animal products for sale to the local and international market.

The former Gatundu South MP said Kenyan pastoralists lost more than Sh30 billion (in terms of livestock deaths) from the recent prolonged drought period, which would have been averted if the export abattoir was up and running.

Isiolo Governor Abdi Hassan Guyo said the abattoir is expected to change the fortunes of the county, with new infrastructure such as roads, a bigger airport and increased employment. 

“The people of Isiolo and the larger northern part of Kenya will benefit from this as it will allow them to offload their livestock without having to go as far as Nairobi and Mombasa to sell them,” he said.

Guyo said the abattoir will have the capacity to process 1,000 goats, 200 cows and 100 camels daily once complete.

It will also employ 80 people directly and benefit more than 20,000 livelihoods.

The government estimated that livestock worth Sh280 billion was lost in 2022 due to the drought.

Failure by the two previous regimes of Mohamed Kuti and pioneer governor Godana Doyo to complete the abattoir dashed the hopes of livestock farmers.

However, Guyo has brought new hope to the farmers after reaching out to the national government for assistance.

ISIOLO AIRPORT

On the airport, Kuria said it will be expanded to accommodate the freighters that will be landing at the facility.

The CS, who visited the facility together with Guyo, said it will be upgraded to fit into the international market because of its positioning at the strategic crossroads of Lappset and Isiolo resort city.

"Isiolo airport will be transformed into a major international hub that will significantly propel the economy across the region," Kuria said.

"The county  is among the fastest-growing counties as a result of the Vision 2030 Blueprint, Lappset corridor and resort city programme that will take the country to the next level."

He also highlighted that the national government had high-level conversations with airlines and operators that will culminate in Isiolo airport hosting more than 50 local and international flights daily.

Guyo said beef meat, miraa, flowers and other animal products from the region will find their way into the international market through the airport.

He said operationalising the flights will ease transport challenges as tourists visiting Isiolo game reserves will have easy access from areas such as Mombasa and Nairobi within the shortest time.

Isiolo is the only county that hosts three game reserves — Shaba, Buffalo Springs and Bisan Adhi — with its impressive landscape and ranges of hills. The sleeping lion and tortoise hill around Shaba Game Reserve are among the adorable features.

Guyo said the county government will put in place measures to ensure that investors take up the opportunities and enable the county to be a model business hub.

The Sh2.7 billion airport was commissioned by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2017 and was part of the government’s Sh2.5 trillion Lamu Port–South Sudan–Ethiopia-Transport (Lapsset) project.

The airport, which straddles Meru and Isiolo counties, occupies 800 acres and consists of a modern passenger terminal that can handle more than 100,000 passengers annually, including parking facilities that accommodate as many as 200 vehicles.

It has about 12 concessional shops, a restaurant, banking and forex bureau space and a taxi parking lot with a capacity of 200 cars.

The airport's cargo sheds can handle at least 10 tonnes of luggage, while its apron has a capacity of seven aircrafts.

The airport facility is also an important link to the new transport corridor, which the government is developing under the Lapsset corridor project.

The lack of necessary infrastructure, including aviation lights to allow planes to land and take off at night and cargo sheds, has prevented full utilisation of the airport, which has a 5,000-square-metre passenger terminal.