Nakuru County should take its rightful place

Devolution has opened up a number of opportunities for regions that previously stagnated despite their huge economic potential. One such is Nakuru County that straddles the highway to counties like Nairobi, Kiambu Uasin Gishu, Kisumu, Nandi, Kericho and Kakamega, among others, signifying its strategic importance as a business hub and a transit point on the Northern Corridor- the busiest and most important transport route in East and Central Africa.

Nakuru, after Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu, is earmarked for city status and it must match that exalted status with systems that work for the common man and deliver according to expectation.

Indeed, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), places Nakuru County second to Nairobi County as a leading investment destination in the country, having given it a business approval rate of 56 percent and Nairobi at 63 per cent. In terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which has grown at the rate of 5.1 per cent per annum, Nakuru comes fourth after its neighbour Kiambu, Nyeri and Kajiado counties at a GDP of Sh100,413, just marginally lower than Kiambu County at Sh100,785.

These statistics are a good indicator for the Nakuru County leadership to take up the challenge and give its best in realising set social-economic goals fully. However, these goals stand threatened by a political leadership that easily loses focus and risks clawing back gains as evidenced by the ongoing tribal clashes in Njoro.

While exploiting its tourist attraction potential, it should also make the business environment highly attractive to investors who, no doubt, would help drive its economy.