Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has directed the State Departments for Water, Energy, Roads and ICT to urgently provide the utilities required to support the seamless and sustainable operationalisation of County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) in eight counties.
Kindiki said inadequate and unreliable water, electricity, internet connectivity and motorable roads could undermine manufacturing and value addition at the facilities, slowing the government’s plans to create jobs and accelerate socio-economic transformation.
He issued the directive during a follow-up meeting at the Deputy President’s Official Residence in Karen to review the completion, commissioning and operationalisation of the first cohort of CAIPs.
The first phase covers Meru, Embu, Kirinyaga, Kisii, Busia, Migori, Garissa and Wajir counties.
The directive followed concerns raised by governors during a technical session on the CAIPs, where they warned that inadequate utilities could affect the productivity of facilities nearing completion.
Kindiki directed the Principal Secretaries for Energy, Water, Roads and ICT, who attended the meeting, to expedite the provision of the required infrastructure and work closely with governors in the eight counties.
The Deputy President said ensuring reliable utilities would help create a conducive environment for investors and other stakeholders operating within the industrial parks, enabling them to maximize productivity.
The Meru CAIP is scheduled for commissioning this month, while facilities in Kirinyaga, Embu, Garissa and Wajir are expected to begin operations next month.
The Kisii, Migori and Busia CAIPs are scheduled for commissioning by December this year.
Kindiki also directed the government to run a parallel programme aimed at fast-tracking completion of the second cohort of CAIPs, which are targeted for commissioning by April next year.
The CAIPs are part of the government’s industrialization strategy aimed at promoting manufacturing, value addition, investment and employment opportunities across the counties.
