Kisumu County Assembly rejects Sh25m plan for Sunset Hotel facelift

Kisumu, Kenya: Kisumu County Assembly has rejected a Sh25 million refurbishment plan of the Sunset Hotel located in the lakeside city.

The allocation had been factored in the county’s 2014/2015 budget estimates as one of the plans to rejuvenate tourism in Kisumu.

The amount is part of Sh70 million set aside to boost tourism programmes in the region. It was to be used for repairs within the facility and furnish it to international standards.

In a report tabled by the Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairperson Willis Ogonyo on budget estimates and expenditure, the assembly declined to approve the Sh25 million meant to refurbish the facility.

The members questioned the ownership of the facility to warrant its refurbishment.      

Kondele Ward Rep Gabriel Ochieng told the county government to reveal who owned the facility before any allocation was approved.

Ownership row

“We might be putting money on a facility that we do not fully own. The county executive member for Commerce, Tourism and Heritage should tell the house what percentage or shares the county owns in Sunset Hotel,” said Ochieng.

The hotel is located in the leafy suburbs of Milimani estate and is adjacent to Lake Victoria.

Speaking to The Standard on phone, Kisumu County executive member for Commerce, Tourism and Heritage Rose Kisia clarified that the hotel was jointly owned by the county and national governments.

Dr Kisia said the MCAs should have confirmed with them, or the hotel, before rejecting the allocation.

“When we pump money in the hotel, it increases our shares too. In the long run, we might even own the hotel,” said Kisia.

She was, however, hopeful that the allocation would remain in the tourism department, and should be allocated to another project.

While rejecting the planned project, the MCAs also asked that an inventory be carried out on all ongoing projects for verification, that submissions of the public be included in the County’s Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) and consequently appear in the budget estimates.

Meanwhile, Western region will be one of the beneficiaries of a Sh149 million partnership with the Netherlands government to improve tourism in the country.

Western circuit

The Western tourism circuit, through Lake Victoria Tourism Association Kenya (LVTA), signed a memorandum of understanding with Netherlands’ Centre for Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI) in a bid to resuscitate the ailing tourism industry.

In the MoU that is to run for three years, CBI will be offering expertise through coaching and training of agents and staff in the tourism sector.

CBI Institution expert Prof Hans Bossert said their main objective is to develop the Western circuit as a domestic and international tourism attraction region.

“We want to ensure that many organisations take up the challenge to market and grow tourism in this region,” said Bossert.

LVTA Chairperson Daniel Okumu said they would work hand in hand to ensure all products are well developed to boost the tourism sector in the Western Circuit.