Lakeside city finalises plans to host this year’s Madaraka Day

Constructors work on a stretch of the Kisumu-Mamboleo Road ahead of this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations to be hosted in Kisumu. [Washington Onyango, Standard]

Plans by the national government to host this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations in Kisumu are at an advanced stage as authorities tasked with overseeing preparations race against time to ensure everything is in place.

Although the national event is in two weeks’ time, there is a hive of activities in the lakeside city as authorities implementing infrastructural facelifts to key facilities work against the clock to complete the projects.

The facilities include a road project leading to the Sh350 million Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground, which will host the event.

In his last visit to Kisumu, President Uhuru Kenyatta was irked by the state of the road. He then directed senior government officials to ensure the road was renovated. “We cannot have such a road to serve an international stadium. The road must be repaired.” 

But it remains unlikely that the road will be ready within two weeks. The contractors at the site are levelling a pathway the president, as well as other dignitaries, will use.

Yesterday, one of the workers at the site who sought anonymity told The Standard that completion of the one-kilometre stretch will take a few months.

“The stretch has a lot of components that require a lot of work. The goal is to ensure that there is a proper stretch that can be used by dignitaries before the final completion,” said the official.

Kisumu- Mamboleo Road. [Washington Onyango,Standard]

At the stadium where the event will be held, key facilities have already been completed, including the construction of the stands. Workers are undertaking final touches.

With officials also anticipating that President Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga will launch several projects whose completion is key to unlocking the region’s economic potential, authorities tasked with delivering the projects are also almost done.

Railway revival

The revival of the Kisumu-Nakuru Meter Gauge railway line is among those that the president is expected to unveil after Kenya Railways workers completed its reconstruction. The entity says only a few components of the project are still remaining.

Last week, the institution moved a passenger train to Kisumu in anticipation of the developments set to take place on Madaraka Day.

Aboard the train was the corporation’s Managing Director Philip Mainga and a team of engineers who undertook an inspection tour of the line.

The authority is also racing against time to complete the construction of a new passenger terminal in Kisumu. According to Kenya Railways, the construction currently stands at 35 per cent.

About 10 days ago, Interior Cabinet Secretary Karanja Kibicho visited Kisumu to supervise the preparations ahead of the event, as well as the progress of the ongoing national government projects.

Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o’s administration is also racing against time to complete the city beautification project aimed at improving Kisumu’s outlook. Yesterday, a contractor tasked with building monuments at the various roundabouts within the city was busy trying to complete the exercise. Already works on two roundabouts are complete.

The developments are set to boost Kisumu’s infrastructural outlook after the county government also demolished stalls constructed along pavements.

Motorists along the stretch of Kisumu- Mamboleo Road. [Washington Onyango, Standard]

And with several visitors expected to troop into the city, hoteliers are looking forward to making huge profits and boosting their income after months of woes that almost brought the industry to its knees.

Already several government officials have started trooping to the county, including military personnel preparing for the national event. Yesterday, several military planes overflew the city as they undertook rehearsals ahead of the celebrations.

President Kenyatta is expected to stay in Kisumu for three days as he launches a number of national government projects in the lakeside city.

Yesterday, Lake Region Tourism Circuit chairman and hotel manager Robinson Anyal said a number of hotels were preparing to host visitors.

“During cessation of movement, our occupancy rates dropped to 15 per cent from 30 per cent with very minimal conferences and events. We expect slight but gradual improvement on performance for the domestic tourism,” said Anyal.

Several taxi operators stationed at the airport also lauded the president for the decision to settle on Kisumu to host the event, saying it will provide them with an opportunity to boost their income.