Investors throng Baringo County for opportunities

BARINGO, KENYA: Baringo County on Thursday hosted a global entrepreneurship and expo summit conference in efforts to market the region's investment potential.

Governor Benjamin Cheboi led North Rift leaders in hosting several internal and external potential investors that included Korean, Botswana and Hungarian ambassadors to Kenya in a two-day conference.

According to the governor, investors eyeing Baringo would lease land, get access to water, hire local labour and get tax incentives to help them create jobs that would see jobless youth absorbed in the job market.

County commissioner Peter Okwanyo assured investors that security officers had managed to tame the cattle rustling menace and assured them of conducive environment for investment.

"The county has for long sat on resources that has the potential to be converted into wealth. Unemployment for youth is the biggest challenge to the country and not Baringo alone", he said.

While addressing the investors at Kabarnet showgrounds, Botswana ambassador John Moreti asked the county to consider empowering local investors by providing a conducive environment, saying African countries must up their game and trust it's on people.

"The Government must put in place proper measures and policies to enable private investors to be able to play their critical role. We are required to attract investors and not scare them away', he told them.

Among the sectors the county want investor put their money in include, tourism, Energy and mining, real estate development and agribusiness.

Tullow Oil is exploring energy resources while a feasibility study for a planned cable-cars investment is underway. The deal is being jointly done by Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet county Governments.