How Laikipia Infrastructure Bond Will Unlock Over 100,000 Jobs
Updated on: Jun 10, 2021
The Infrastructure Bond that the County Government of Laikipia is in the process of issuing holds the key to more than 108,000 job opportunities for Laikipians.
Members of the County Assembly of Laikipia are expected to approve the bond before the National Treasury provides the guarantee.
This overwhelming number of new jobs is part of the outcomes expected from the financing of the key transformational projects through a public debt issue.
Development of 11 Smart Towns alone is projected to injection 74,166 additional jobs to the economy by creation of 31, 698 new businesses.
Once complete, Wiyumiririe smart town is expected to attract 8,257 new business which will create 16,514 opportunities to the unemployed.
Nanyuki will see 6,408 new businesses which will come along with 19,223 jobs, Nyahururu 4,363 new businesses with 13,089 employment opportunities and Kinamba 5, 399 new businesses with 10,798 job opportunities.
Other smart towns to be funded through the bond issue will create additional jobs as follows: Doldol (3,489), Karuga (886), Naibor (639), Kalalu (864), Mugwarak (811) and Pesi (752).
The idea behind the Smart Towns concept is to have planned urbanization by growing Laikipia trading centres underdeveloped towns zones into vibrant business zones by having planned towns and enforced building zones; paved roads, walkways, cyclists paths; lighting for businesses to stay open longer, residents are safer; connected water and sewerage and setting up an urban development fund to enable plots/building owners develop higher density units.
Another important segment for job creation is water for production as the government targets to increase the area under irrigation from 9,000 acres in 2019 to 50, 000 acres.
With a total of 236 existing water pans, the focus is efficient irrigation system which includes scheduled maintenance. The programme will also provide market linkage to off-takers and processors.
From the bond issue, Wangwaci Dam will see its water storage capacity enhanced three-fold to 312, 376 cubic metres from the current 100,000 cubic metres. This will increase the number of producers to 600 from the current 300.
Tomato production around this dam will more than double to 7, 680 tonnes from 3,000 tonnes that are produced currently. The revenue to farmers will double- from Kshs 153. 6 million to Kshs 307.2 million.
Funding of Il Polei Dam will support its expansion in its capacity from 5,000 cubic metres to the 92,000 cubic metres. This will lead to 20 additional acres under irrigation creating 900 new employment opportunities.
Laikipia is determined to grow the county economy four-fold from Kshs100 billion to Kshs400 billion per year in the medium term. This will be achieved through enterprise development which will involve tripling agriculture production and well-planned urbanization.
It also targets a five-fold increase in manufacturing and processing through grown and new developments. It is also starting mining and electricity reticulation.
The county government has already updated its organizational structure to be able to exercise all powers and fulfill all functions as given by the constitution
Members of the County Assembly of Laikipia are expected to approve the bond before the National Treasury provides the guarantee.
This overwhelming number of new jobs is part of the outcomes expected from the financing of the key transformational projects through a public debt issue.
Development of 11 Smart Towns alone is projected to injection 74,166 additional jobs to the economy by creation of 31, 698 new businesses.
Once complete, Wiyumiririe smart town is expected to attract 8,257 new business which will create 16,514 opportunities to the unemployed.
Nanyuki will see 6,408 new businesses which will come along with 19,223 jobs, Nyahururu 4,363 new businesses with 13,089 employment opportunities and Kinamba 5, 399 new businesses with 10,798 job opportunities.
Other smart towns to be funded through the bond issue will create additional jobs as follows: Doldol (3,489), Karuga (886), Naibor (639), Kalalu (864), Mugwarak (811) and Pesi (752).
The idea behind the Smart Towns concept is to have planned urbanization by growing Laikipia trading centres underdeveloped towns zones into vibrant business zones by having planned towns and enforced building zones; paved roads, walkways, cyclists paths; lighting for businesses to stay open longer, residents are safer; connected water and sewerage and setting up an urban development fund to enable plots/building owners develop higher density units.
Another important segment for job creation is water for production as the government targets to increase the area under irrigation from 9,000 acres in 2019 to 50, 000 acres.
With a total of 236 existing water pans, the focus is efficient irrigation system which includes scheduled maintenance. The programme will also provide market linkage to off-takers and processors.
From the bond issue, Wangwaci Dam will see its water storage capacity enhanced three-fold to 312, 376 cubic metres from the current 100,000 cubic metres. This will increase the number of producers to 600 from the current 300.
Tomato production around this dam will more than double to 7, 680 tonnes from 3,000 tonnes that are produced currently. The revenue to farmers will double- from Kshs 153. 6 million to Kshs 307.2 million.
Funding of Il Polei Dam will support its expansion in its capacity from 5,000 cubic metres to the 92,000 cubic metres. This will lead to 20 additional acres under irrigation creating 900 new employment opportunities.
Laikipia is determined to grow the county economy four-fold from Kshs100 billion to Kshs400 billion per year in the medium term. This will be achieved through enterprise development which will involve tripling agriculture production and well-planned urbanization.
It also targets a five-fold increase in manufacturing and processing through grown and new developments. It is also starting mining and electricity reticulation.
The county government has already updated its organizational structure to be able to exercise all powers and fulfill all functions as given by the constitution
