President William Ruto is expected to visit Kisumu to preside over the Nyanza International Investment Conference next month.
Information and Communication Technology Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo said the President will officially open the conference.
“The head of state himself will lead a team of local and international investors to exploit the unexploited potential investment opportunities in the region,” Owalo said.
The conference will bring together local and international investors, national and county government officials and the private sector to explore investment opportunities in the region.
The two-day investment summit is scheduled for June 28 and 29 and seeks to foster development across the six counties in the region by attracting both local and international investors.
The conference is being organised under the theme, "Nyanza Rising: Towards Economic Transformation for Socio-Economic Growth and Development."
He spoke during a church service at St. Christopher ACK Church Koru in Muhoroni, Kisumu on Sunday.
The CS later proceeded to distribute relief food to flood victims at Masara Mixed Secondary School at Ombeyi.
Owalo, who is the patron of NIIC, said the conference will help in exploring the available and potential development challenges and turn them into investable opportunities for investors.
The summit, he said, was in line with the government’s directive to promote Public-Private Partnerships to spur investments and grow the country’s economy.
The conference will focus on infrastructure, technology, health, agriculture and infrastructure.
Owalo revealed that key projects such as the multi-billion Koru-Soin dam and the Lake Victoria ring road will be showcased to investors as the government moves to scale up Public Private Partnerships.
The ring road whose design has been completed and approved, runs along the lake from Busia to Migori on the border of Kenya and Tanzania.
“The road, when completed, will open up the Nyanza region for trade and investment thereby creating job opportunities for the youth in the region,” Owalo said.
On the stalled Koru-Soin dam, he announced that the government was seeking PPP to complete the Sh 19.8 billion multi-purpose project.
Owalo announced that Water and Irrigation CS Zacharia Njeru has started negotiations with investors from Indonesia to fund the construction of the Koru-Soin dam.
The project, which targets to control perennial flooding, and provide water for irrigation and electricity generation, stalled due to inadequate funding.
Njeru, he said, has just returned from Indonesia, where he has negotiated a PPP with investors for a possible partnership.
“This is going to unlock funding to complete the project which has stalled. The dam is key for the economic growth of this region,” he said.
Owalo noted that the dam was at the centre of President Ruto’s development agenda for the region.
The dam is designed to abstract water from upstream River Nyando to contain flooding in Nyando, generate electricity and scale up distribution of potable water in Kisumu and Kericho counties.
Owalo urged Nyanza residents and leaders to support Ruto who is fully committed to implementing transformative initiatives to help explore the untapped development opportunities.
“We have a head of state who is willing, ready and committed to the development of this region and we should fully support him to fulfil his development agenda,” he said.
Owalo noted that President Ruto has demonstrated willingness to unite Kenyans and work with everybody to help spur development and spur the economy.
He cited the key appointments from the region such as Kenya’s Ambassador to Egypt Fred Outa, Interior PS Raymond Omollo and himself.
Owalo said Ruto has made 138 appointments in different cadres from the region.
“The positions include a Cabinet slot, two Principal Secretary slots and three ambassadorial slots. Others include appointments to parastatals and regional development agencies,” he said.
The CS asked the region to rally behind the president for showing interest and considering the region in his appointments in government.
Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda called on Nyanza residents to shun divisive politics and instead work with the government.
Ojienda said the time for politics is long gone and people including leaders should embark on development initiatives.
He asked residents to fully back Ruto in his quest to initiate transformative projects in the region which are targeted at improving their livelihoods.
“Our region dragged behind in development for several years. It is time we change tact and work with the government,” Ojienda said.
The senator said the residents should embrace all leaders in working with the government of the day for economic growth.
Agriculture Food and Agriculture (AFA) director Samuel Ong’ow also echoed the sentiments saying residents should change from political intolerance.
“We must work with the government like other regions. President Ruto means well for this region,” Ong’ow said.
