Despite challenges, State still upbeat about incubation centres

By LUKE ANAMI

The slow pace of land acquisition is hampering the construction of incubation centres at constituency level, Prof John Lunyangapuo has said.

The Government is banking on these centres to grow Small and Medium sized Entreprises (SMEs), create employment and wealth in the country.

Growing industries depend on incubation during their formative years as it nurtures and ensuring that they are able to survive longer.

But the Industrialisation PS said urban centres like Nairobi and Kisii are some of the areas where land needed to construct the incubation centres is scarce.

"In some urban areas land is very expensive, while in others there is no idle land due to dense population,’ Prof Lunyangapuo said at a press conference at the Ministry’s offices on Thursday.

He said the Government was determined to complete the projects in all the constituencies before this year’s Budget in June.

Prof Lunyangapuo could not foresee a situation where the ministry would return funds already earmarked for the projects to Treasury, saying the construction is on course, with over 75 per cent of the work complete.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

"We have constructed incubation centres in 150 constituencies out of a total 210 constituencies so far," he said.

Each constituency’s business incubation centre will cost Sh2.5 million to construct. The Government will spend a further Sh1 million equipping the centre with necessary tools and equipment, Prof Lunyaganpuo explained. He also warned contractors who quoted a figure higher than the available amount budgeted for would be left out.

Prof Lunyaganpuo said the ministry had already identified business activities to be undertaken in each constituency, including bee keeping, wielding, construction, ICT related activities, among others.

Arrangements to provide power in constituencies that do not have electricity are also under way.

The PS cited Tala as one of the places where the project is complete.