Governor outlines plan to turn Kisumu into economic hub

Kisumu, Kenya: The Kisumu County government has selected pillars of growth that are expected to drive the economy of the county.

The pillars include the County's Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) strategic plan, which will be geared towards increasing efficiency of the county government executives as well as facilitating more participation from the public.

Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma said other drivers of the expected economic growth include a revamped plan to address issues of food security as well production of power to add 5000MW to the national grid.

''The County of Kisumu is geared for growth as a special economic hub, we are urbanising fast and there is potential for rapid industrialisation too. This makes it a prime business location for investment. We want to strengthen our economic partnerships at the regional level," he said.

Mr Ranguma was speaking during the launch of a new Heritage Insurance and Liberty Life Assurance branch, owned by the Liberty Group over the weekend.

The Governor lauded the insurer for opening a new office, saying he is very encouraged by the appreciation of the county's potential at the corporate level as this will ensure prime services and opportunities are made available at a local and more accessible point.

Heritage Insurance Managing Director Godfrey Kioi said the move to open the branch was necessitated by the need to provide access to efficient and affordable products and services to customers as the demand for these services were likely to grow as the economy of the region expands.

''We are here because we are very excited at the business opportunities available in this county, and would like to walk this journey with you, and ensure that your investments are covered, hence providing you with peace of mind as you go about your business activities." he said.