Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary (CS) Peter Munya on Tuesday pointed out eight cities that will drive President Uhuru Kenyatta's Industrialization Agenda.
Speaking in Kisumu during the tour of the Ksh15 billion Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) plant, Munya indicated that the government will set up Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in strategic towns to drive the agenda - which is part of Jubilee's Big 4 Agenda.
According to the CS, towns targeted in the plan include Kisumu, Mombasa, Athi River, Nakuru, Narok, Isiolo, Lamu and Machakos as potential hosts of the special economic zones.
The SEZ will be designated to provide and implement business-enabling policies.
There will also be sector-appropriate infrastructure and utilities offered to enhance manufacturing for business and trade.
Other SEZ areas will be set in towns along the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) route to utilize the railway to ferry goods.
The CS indicated that the strategic drive to Kenya’s industrialization agenda will be implemented in conjunction with development partners such as the African Development Bank (ADB).
Munya indicated that the KBL factory is expected to start operations in less than six months and will give the lakeside city of Kisumu an economic impetus.
He further urged residents of western Kenya region to take advantage of opportunities created by the new beverage plant.
The Big 4 Agenda is set to be Uhuru's legacy project in his last term at the Presidency where he hopes to also revolutionize food security, affordable housing and affordable healthcare.
