admin_county July 7, 2020

ADHOC COMMITTEE ON THE NAIVASHA SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE AND DRY PORT BEGIN WORK

By Jeremy Ogola
The County has formed an Adhoc committee to come up with a template that will bring congruence and synergy between national and county governments in seeing into the full implementation of the Naivasha Special Economic Zone with the participation of the County Government as well as stakeholders and the locals.

The committee is mandated among other things to analyze and report on the National Special Master-plan for the Naivasha/Maai Mahiu Special Economic Zone and on the Internal Container Depot and the Standard Gauge Railway Master-plan.

They will also identify gaps that require County/Local Government/Community interventions and identify business, investment, trade, and job opportunities that will benefit the people of Nakuru.

Trade, Tourism and Cooperative CECM Mr. Raymond Komen said the move is in line with the Vision of H.E. the Governor of Nakuru of aligning the County Strategic Plans with the National Government’s Big Four Agenda.

“In light of the above and the need to urgently have the participation of the County Government as well as stakeholders, I have formed a committee consisting of County Government Officials as well as Private Sector Representatives that shall develop a comprehensive report that shall be presented to H.E. the Governor for onward transmission to the Agencies of the National Government.” Said Mr. Komen.

Mr. Komen who was speaking during the first meeting with the Adhoc committee said his docket is mandated to promote Trade, Business, Investment, and job creation within the County.

His sentiments were echoed by the chairman of the ad-hoc committee ambassador Boniface Muhia who said such an approach is better placed to address the associated resource exploitation opportunities; social and economic challenges in a more holistic manner.

The committee later visited the sites on a factfinding mission where they identified Revenue opportunities for the County Government of Nakuru.

The committee team consists of Naivasha Municipal Chairman, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce, Naivasha Business Association, Kenya Association of Manufacturers and Nakuru Business of Association, Investments Liaison Officer, and other officials from the county led by trade CECM Mr. Raymond Komen.

The Naivasha-based inland container depot (ICD) will revolutionize transport of bulk cargo to the east Africa nation’s hinterland and neighboring countries and also create employment opportunities to thousands of our youth.

The dry port stands on over 1,000 acres and can load two million tons of cargo every year.

The Naivasha ICD is operational and is so important at this time when the country is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. The transport corridors have been the main transmission zones for Covid-19. The ICD will reduce the risk on the road by about 600km.

And underway is the groundbreaking of the Special Economic Zone that is expected to create thousands of jobs as well as offer opportunities for our industries and SME,s