By Rodgers Omondi and Nelson Musungu, Busia and Bungoma
The Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade and Industry, Lee Kinyanjui, has called for the speedy completion of the Nasewa County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIP) in Busia, even as he threatened to terminate the contract for the Sh500 million Bungoma CAIP over delays.
During an inspection tour in Busia, Mr. Kinyanjui urged the county and national governments to fast-track the Nasewa project, saying the national government had already disbursed its full contribution of KSh250 million. The county government is expected to match this with a similar allocation.
“We are asking for full partnership between the national and county government so that the project can be completed on time. This will attract investors, especially those targeting the East African Community export market,” the CS said.
He stressed that the facility would open up opportunities for farmers to process and add value to their produce, including food products, edible oils, cotton and nuts, creating jobs and reducing post-harvest losses. Nasewa’s strategic location, he added, would make it a gateway for trade with Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Busia Deputy Governor Arthur Odera acknowledged the project’s slow progress but assured that the county had instructed the contractor to resume work and complete it within the revised schedule.
In neighbouring Bungoma, however, the CS expressed sharp dissatisfaction with the sluggish pace of construction at the Bungoma CAIP, which has only achieved 30 percent progress despite an August 2025 completion deadline.
“We cannot allow Bungoma to lag behind while other counties are moving forward. Other counties have completed or are close to completing their CAIPs, yet here we are at only 30 percent. There will be no extensions—the contract will be terminated if this continues,” Mr. Kinyanjui warned.
Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka also faulted the contractor, while Principal Secretary for Trade, Dr. Juma Mukhwana, accused the contractor of betraying President William Ruto’s flagship programme.
“The national government has already released its full allocation of Sh250 million, but progress remains stalled. This is unacceptable,” Dr. Mukhwana said, noting that the contractor had only spent Sh157 million despite funds being available.
Governor Lusaka confirmed the county government had disbursed Sh126 million, with the balance earmarked for release in the current financial year.
In his defence, the contractor requested a three-month extension, citing rocky terrain that required specialized works, and insisted the project was at 54 percent completion according to contractual records.
