Bungoma, Uasin Gishu industrial parks fail to take off despite promises
Part of Bungoma airstrip land that locals say has been grabbed. The Governor Kenneth Lusaka administration wants to set up an industrial park at the disused airstrip.
Two industrial park projects in Bungoma and Uasin Gishu counties have stalled, raising fears they may have been used as avenues for public resources plunder.
The construction of a multibillion-shilling industrial park in Bungoma remains a dream five years down the line despite the devolved government allocating hundreds of millions of shillings to the project that was to promote cross-border trade.
The project, initiated in 2018 by then governor Wycliffe Wangamati – and which had the backing of Uganda– failed to kick off despite the county government allocating it Sh175 million.
“There is nothing to show and we have to start afresh,” County Communications Director John Nalianya told journalists.
Governor Kenneth Lusaka’s administration wants to hive off a portion of Bungoma airstrip land for the park after allocating the project Sh100 million.
“We have written to Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) to surrender the underutilised airstrip land to enable us to put up the park,” Mr Nalianya said.
KAA says there is no scheduled airline service to Bungoma airstrip that has a 730-metre runway.
“Apart from the Sh100 million from the devolved government, the national government will provide a similar amount for the construction of the park,” Mr Nalianya said.
The park will target investments in agro-processing, dairy, tanning, beef canning, built technology (concrete blocks), flour milling, steel, vehicle assembly and others.
Mr Wangamati’s administration signed an agreement with Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute to design the park.
It allocated Sh55 million for legal framework, feasibility study, policy formulation and public participation.
The then-county government also set aside Sh120 million for the development of key infrastructure – roads, water and electricity supply – and fencing of the 103-acre piece the project was to be established.
The concept of industrial parks has taken off well in Uganda, a country that has increasingly invested in cottage industries mainly targeting agro-processing.
The objective was to grow the economy, reduce unemployment and cut reliance on Kenyan imports.
Nine of the country’s 23 industrial parks are already running.
The biggest is on the outskirts of capital Kampala. It hosts Coca-Cola, Toyota and several other global companies.
Sitting on a 2,200-acres piece, Kampala Industrial and Business Park is home to 301 investors.
The construction of the 45-acre park in Moi’s Bridge by AgroHub in partnership with Dutch investors and the Uasin-Gishu county government is yet to begin.
There is no activity at the site where construction of the park was launched by then-Trade Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina in August 2020.
It was touted as a project that would boost the setting up of industries in rural areas to support devolution.
More than 10 multinationals had promised to set up agricultural and processing plants at the multimillion-shilling industrial park.
The project was similar to the Sh200 million Special Economic Zone launched in Ainabkoi in 2017. Like the Moi’s Bridge park, the Ainabkoi one has remained a pipe dream.
The economic zone, which is on a 700-acre parcel of land, was to be completed in 18 months.
