By Daniel Otieno, Kakamega
The county government of Kakamega is looking for strategic partners to help in addressing resource gap in the implementation of the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) to a tune of Sh40billion.
Governor Fernandes Barasa says by strengthening collaboration and partnerships, it will go a long way in realizing the roll out of strategic development projects and pave way for the elevation of the county to city status.
Barasa while speaking at Golf Hotel Kakamega during the USAID Partners Day, he said “Our goal is to strengthen partnerships and expand donor-funded projects to address the Sh40 billion resource gap in our County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) for 2023-2027,”
He noted that his vision is to make Kakamega a city in the next five years, arguing that will only work through huge investments, especially infrastructural development.
Barasa called on USAID to invest more on water, health and sanitation and to boost infrastructure. “One of the areas of collaboration is to have our partners to improve sewerage because we cannot become a city without a proper sewerage,”
“Soon we are commissioning three municipalities in Butere,Malava and Matunda. We look forward to improving infrastructure in these areas,” he added.
He thanked USAID for her contribution in the provision of universal healthcare in the county, saying there work speaks for itself.
“We extend our gratitude for the significant contributions that USAID has made to our County, through initiatives such as USAID 4TheChild, USAID Msingi Imara, the USAID Western Kenya Sanitation Project, Boresha Jamii, Nuru ya Mtoto, and several other initiatives,” said Barasa
USAID Kenya and East Africa Deputy Mission Director Bert Ubamadu said the US has had partnership with Kenya for over sixty years. He applauded the county government for working with them in a number of sectors to touch lives. “We have been working to improve health, water and sanitation areas as well as agriculture. We appreciate the county government for providing an ample working environment for us,” he said.
He noted that his team has focused more on health improvement outcomes, literacy programmes for grade 1 to 3, water and sanitation and to liberate malaria in the county.
Ubamadu also affirmed that their organization and US government works closely with the locals to carry out their operations. “The bottom line is USAID believes in partnership and localization and that means we work where people are.”
