EAC opens Sh457 million Lake Basin Commission headquarters in Kisumu

PHOTO: FAITH MATETE

East Africa Community (EAC) Cabinet Secretary (CS) Beatrice Askul unveils a commemorative plaque for the new Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) Headquarters building in Kisumu on Saturday, 29 November 2025. /FAITH MATETE

The East African Community has inaugurated the new headquarters of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) in Kisumu, a Sh457 million regional investment fully funded by partner states.

The ultramodern facility, built on 2.8 acres donated by the Kenyan government in 2008, is expected to strengthen cross-border cooperation, environmental management, research, and economic transformation across the Lake Victoria basin, home to more than 45 million people.

Presiding over the event on behalf of President William Ruto, East African Community, ASALs and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary Beatrice Askul said the new complex symbolises East Africa’s collective vision for a stronger, more integrated and more prosperous region.

Askul said the headquarters was more than a physical structure, calling it a strategic investment in the livelihoods of the millions who rely on Africa’s largest freshwater ecosystem. She noted that in Kenya alone the lake supports over 200,000 direct and indirect jobs, with more than 60 per cent of the country’s inland fish production coming from Lake Victoria. 

However, she warned that the basin continues to face deep-rooted challenges — from unregulated transport and weak safety systems to frequent maritime accidents that claim hundreds of lives annually. The CS said the completion of the Maritime Regional Coordination Centre in Mwanza, Tanzania, and the ongoing construction of a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Kisumu will greatly improve safety, communication and emergency response on the lake.

The inaugurates new Lake Victoria Basin Commission headquarters in Kisumu./FAITH MATETE

She also underscored Kenya’s regional commitments, including the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway to Uganda and the planned Kenya–Uganda expressway supported by the African Development Bank. “By improving regional connectivity, we expand markets, empower industries and unlock East Africa’s full economic potential,” she said. Speaking during the same occasion, EAC secretary general Veronica Nduva praised Kenya’s continued support for regional institutions, noting that LVBC was the only EAC institution hosted in the country. 

She said the new headquarters represents the fulfilment of a longstanding dream dating back to 2015, and will strengthen policy coordination, climate resilience, biodiversity protection and sustainable use of shared resources. Nduva reaffirmed that Lake Victoria — the world’s largest tropical lake — remains a lifeline for millions across East Africa, supporting agriculture, transport, tourism, hydropower and fisheries. 

She urged partner states to leverage the new facility as a hub for research, innovation and collaborative solutions.

“The true legacy of this building will be measured not by its architectural beauty, but by the ideas generated and the partnerships forged to improve lives across the Basin,” she said.

LVBC executive secretary Dr Masinde Bwire said the inauguration marks the culmination of a 17-year journey, beginning with Kenya’s donation of land and culminating in a fully funded regional project delivered through the equal contributions of all EAC partner states.

He said the modern complex will serve as the commission’s nerve centre for coordination, research and innovation, deepening its ability to promote environmental stewardship, socio-economic transformation and cross-border cooperation.

Dr Bwire also thanked international development partners — including the World Bank, Germany, the European Union, Unesco and the African Development Bank — for technical and financial support that has strengthened LVBC programmes over the years.

“This achievement reinforces our shared responsibility as custodians of the world’s second-largest freshwater lake,” he said.

Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, whose speech was read by Deputy Governor Dr Mathew Owili, said the new headquarters aligns seamlessly with the county’s development agenda, particularly in fisheries, climate resilience, maritime transport and the blue economy.

He cited ongoing programmes including the acquisition of modern fibreglass fishing vessels, expansion of fish landing sites, promotion of eco-tourism, and revitalisation of lake transport corridors in partnership with Kenya Shipyards Limited and Kenya Railways. He said Kisumu’s strategic location at the heart of the East African Community makes it a natural gateway for regional trade and integration calling for stronger collaboration with LVBC on harmonising regional laws, improving water and sanitation infrastructure, restoring degraded ecosystems and boosting youth and women enterprise in aquaculture, value addition and blue economy innovations.

“Through LVBC’s coordination with riparian states, the Basin’s immense natural assets — from wetlands to fish breeding grounds and biodiversity hotspots — can be sustainably managed and transformed into vibrant economic sectors,” he said.

The inauguration was attended by senior EAC officials, diplomats, local leaders and representatives of the eight partner states, marking a major step in strengthening the institutional backbone of East Africa’s largest shared ecosystem.