Kisumu’s business park opens October

Kisumu County government will in October open the first phase of the multi-million shilling Uhuru Business Park Complex for 5,000 traders who were evicted to give room for the expansion of Sh3 billion inland port.

The project touted to be one of the major fruits of handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga is sitting on a 23-acre piece of land donated by Kenya Railways Corporation to the devolved unit.

Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o who inspected the ongoing works on Tuesday said Phase One of the 10,000-capacity market is 95 percent complete.

He expressed confidence that the full implementation of the programme will revitalise the lakeside city, create jobs and spur economic growth in line with the national government’s Big 4 Agenda.

“The market will have a huge impact in the lakeside city’s economy. We look forward to have the first batch of traders occupying the spaces in the course of October,” said Prof Nyong’o.

Phase One, which kicked off in December 2019, was scheduled to be completed in June this year will now be commissioned in December 2020 due to adverse effects of Covid-19 pandemic.

Kisumu City manager Doris Ombara earlier indicated that the county has received a funding of Sh350 million from the national government through the State Department for Urban Development under the Slum Upgrading Project.

She noted that the funding is part of the total budget while an additional Sh700 million from the World Bank will be used to modernise the market and complete the next phase of the project.

LONG-TERM SOLUTION

“This will provide a long-term solution to traders who will operate in a conducive environment, complete with proper sanitation and floodlights to promote 24-hour economy,” she said.

Successful completion of the project is expected to enable the county to collect revenue in a systematic manner and generate more income.

According to the design, 7.5 acres has been set aside for jua kali artisans while street vendors, matatu and boda boda operators, among others, will have designated areas as part of the plans to reorganise the central business district ahead of the November 2021 Africities Summit.

HAWKER MENACE

There will be designated sheds for eateries, fishmongers, butcheries, cereals, boutique, money transfer, vegetable sellers and bookshops.

“All these initiatives are intended to deal with hawker menace in the lakeside city and allow the county to set up the CBD as a non-motorised shopping and service complex,” said Mrs Ombara.