President William Ruto continues to dangle the carrot to Raila Odinga's home turf following the latest investment in fish research in the region.
According to the Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, the government has extended a Ksh2.5 billion grant to the Kabonyo Kanyagwal fisheries and aquaculture research center in Kisumu.
On Monday, November 28, the CS revealed that the money will be disbursed in two phases, of Ksh1 billion and Ksh1.5 billion respectively.
Mvurya divulged that the first phase has already been approved by the cabinet with the research center being expected to produce 7 million fingerlings annually.
With the projected annual production levels, the government hopes to boost food and nutritional security across the country.
The CS announced that the groundbreaking of the fish center will be done in February next year by President William Ruto.
Mvurya was speaking in Kisumu during the week-long blue economy conference which has attracted delegates drawn from the entire world.
Since his election on August 9, President Ruto has been making inroads in the Nyanza region as he seeks to consolidate a support base in the region that has predominantly voted for Raila Odinga.
The latest bag of goodies from the government to the region comes hardly two months after President Ruto landed in Homa Bay with a bag of goodies promising to complete projects in the region and revive key sectors that are on their knees.
During the October visit, the President pledged to transform the fishing industry, the cotton sub-sector, and several infrastructural projects including roads and water.
The announcement by Mvurya is an indication of the President already making good on this promise to the locals.
According to Mvurya, the government had constructed a Ksh124 million Lwanda Kotieno fish land site and a similar project was currently underway in Mulukoba in Busia.
The government is now looking to proceed to Ogal, Wich Lum, and Asat beaches in line with President Ruto's commitment to work with Nyanza.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga warned Azimio affiliated governors to be wary of the state's scheme in using projects to poach them.
On Friday, November 25, Odinga held a consultative meeting with the governors - a forum that was also attended by co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Martha Karua.
