The Public Service Club in Kisumu City is being rehabilitated to tap into the business from next year’s Africities summit.
Seven modern cottages are being constructed at the club located in the city’s Milimani estate. Upon completion, the club’s main building will also be renovated. The renovation works include putting up a new roof, ceiling, toilets, doors and kitchen.
Nyanza regional commissioner Magu Mutindika is the current patron of the club. The position is reserved for the serving regional commissioner.
Out of the seven cottages, two will be for the VIPs - one for the club’s patron and senior government officers - and the other for judges and magistrates.
Club manager Peter Mukuna said the patron’s cottage will have a capacity of 14 people while that of the judges and magistrates will host 40. Each will have a television fitted.
Mukuna said four other cottages will each host eight people. Under phase two of the project, Mukuna said they will do a perimeter wall. Other renovation works include landscaping.
“We want to beautify the facility by planting flowers. We will also put cabro on the walkways,” he said.
He added that phase one of the project is expected to be completed by December. The club is open to both civil servants and the public.
Located in one of Kisumu's posh estates, the facility offers a variety of dishes such as fish, chicken, goat meat, and pork as well as drinks to its customers.
Apart from catering services, the facility also helps in training students on attachment and internships from various learning institutions.
“We are even paying them as we train them. The initiative enables trainees to earn something for upkeep,” Mukuna said.
Those who want to host an event or conference at the facility will do so at a fair price, he noted.
The manager said they are committed to ensuring that their customers get value for their money.
“We are improving the facility to make our customers more comfortable in a conducive environment. We target efficient services to them. It is our top priority,” Mukuna said.
Most of the hospitality facilities in the lakeside city are positioning themselves to meet the conference demands in April next year.
“We have to be at par with other facilities by offering the best services to the clientele. They are our bosses and they matter a lot to us in the hotel industry,” Mukuna said.
He noted that Kisumu is repositioning itself as the regional business hub for the Lake Region Bloc and East Africa which has investors they must take advantage of for socio-economic developments.
Kisumu is the first intermediary city in Africa to host the continental event which has attracted more than 8,000 delegates.
Afri-Cities is the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa’s flagship Pan-African event that is held every three years in one of the five regions of Africa.
The event attracts communities and local authorities in African countries, as well as financial institutions, civil society groups and development partners at continental and international levels.
