Homa Bay strikes mega deals with 10 companies at ongoing conference

Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti says the county is banking on public-private partnerships to meet its development goals.

Homa Bay County has signed Memorandum of Understanding with at least 10 companies to start mega development projects.

Speaking during the ongoing Homa Bay International Investment Conference, County Executive Member for Trade, Industrialisation, Investment and Cooperatives, Prof Tom Ogada said there was a lot of positive response from private sector investors.

“We are still compiling a list of Memorandum of Understanding documents signed at the end of the conference. But I can say for sure, many investors were keen on agribusiness, tourism, education, energy, minerals and natural resources and the fisheries,” he said.

The ongoing conference has attracted more than 200 investors locally and internationally keen to tap into the county’s rich economic base. Weighed down by a heavy wage bill and inconsistent remittance of funds from the National Treasury, the county government is now targeting local and foreign investors to create wealth through Public Private Partnerships.

Speaking at the conference, the keynote speaker, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who also unveiled the County’s Strategic Investment Plan, described the event as historic.

“This conference is part of the evolving and running story of the wonders of devolution. At no time in its history has Homa Bay town hosted a conference to take stock of and showcase the opportunities it has for the growth and development of its people,” said Mr Odinga.

Homa Bay County Governor Cryprian Awiti said investment summits were the only way county governments can create a platform where they can engage with investors to help bridge county’s development needs. Council of Governors chairman Peter Munya said conferences are a sure evidence that devolution works and has potential to bring development to the masses.

“Yet devolution has its fair share of challenges like sometimes we have delays when the Treasury fails to release the funds in time. But even so, devolution can work and the people feel the benefits,” said Munya who is also Meru County governor.

He said the two-day conference was a demonstration that devolution has changed the architecture of development.

Deputy Governor Hamilton Orata said their county government will provide investors with favourable environment for their operations in the county.

Governor Awiti called on business partners to put up five-star hotels, cottages and conference facilities along the Lake Victoria shores.

He also said the county wanted investors to put up fish processing plants.

“Homa Bay produces nearly 80 per cent of the total fish in Kenya and we need to add value  to this produce. We need to process the fish into fillets and other products at the source,” said Mr Awiti.

Raila challenged governors to use the partnerships with the private sector to improve the lives of the people.

“Increasingly, our people are placing their hopes and their future on the county governments. This is a result of a deep feeling that the National Government has kept us on the road to nowhere for far too long.

“This is partly the reason our people are keen on the performance of the county governments. Counties are our last best hope,” he said.

 -Additional reporting by Phares Mutembei