Siaya County Marketed As Best Investors Haven at 24th Trade Fair in Southern Sudan

The initiative is part of the County government’s elaborate strategy to attract foreign investment into the County in a bid to create more jobs and boost economic growth.

The County Executive Committee member for Trade and Cooperative Development Grace Agola is leading the drive that has seen her meet various business leaders to sell what the County offers ahead of the investment conference slated for March 2025.

The trade expo that kicked off in South Sudan on October 26th –November 6th, 2024, provides Siaya with a platform to discuss and negotiate for key investments aimed at positioning the region as an attractive county for foreign investments.

During the Homabay Investment Conference,9 different firms inked a deal with the county government to promote investment and economic development while Kakamega County signed an MoU with 22 partners to enhance service delivery and foster development within various departments.

As part of Siaya consolidating more investors, the County government of Siaya has organized a Luo cultural event dubbed PINY LUO that seeks to attract luos from parts of East African Community and beyond.

The event is scheduled for December 30th -31st 2024.

The recently signed MoU was between Ken invest and Governor James Orengo and it aimed at formalizing the commitment between the government of Siaya and KenInvest on the success of the proposed investors conference event.

Such partnership is focused on attracting potential investors in the county that is full of rich resources that can be exploited for the benefit of Siaya residents.

Orengo while inking the deal, noted that Siaya, which is known to be a land of heroes, survived without a single cash crop and industries.

Orengo said that in the previous years, Siaya was part of the larger Nyanza and it did not benefit much from KICOMI which was the only factory supporting the cotton industry.

Siaya is one of the counties that was not favored by previous regimes in terms of creation of industries and so it’s such initiatives that can encourage its growth.

“Siaya cotton fed the KICOMI while it thrived in the years back,” said Orengo adding that for Siaya to become a hub of economy, more investments should go towards promoting agriculture and the blue economy.

“The idea for the investment conference is good. It provides a platform for counties to showcase their investment opportunities and negotiate potential investors. The conference will be a great opportunity for us as Siaya people to negotiate for investments deals that if goes through will help transform Siaya in a big way.”

In order to revive the region’s ailing economy, Orengo invested millions of shillings on the installation of a Rice Mill that has relieved famers from incurring losses while transporting the paddy to Ugandan mills.

“Am happy that we have installed a KES 60 million rice mill project at Siriwo that has encouraged expansive production of rice in Siaya,” said Governor Orengo.

More than 100 rice farmers at Siriwo have received KES 5.2 million FLLoCA funds to expand rice production on the 93 acres of land earmarked for rice farming.

The County government has invested in the infrastructures as part of the incentives meant to encourage investors.

Siaya county government has launched upgrades of certain town roads into bitumen standards so that investors have an easy time transporting their goods.

The County Department of Roads will spend KES 125 million in upgrading Ugunja market ring road, Yala Hospital and Rabango Junction -SDA-Siaya referral hospital roads in this financial year.

Blue economy, Gold prospecting, Sand harvesting, cotton, hotel industry, rice production, Sugar production.

The Upgrade of Ugunja and Yala town ring roads to bitumen standards forms part of Orengo’s administration bold strategic urbanization agenda of developing Siaya’s urban towns to make them inclusive and friendly to all.

This will in turn spur the County’s sustainable socioeconomic growth through strategic investments, increased productivity and innovations. The Upgrade of the major towns infrastructures comes just a few months after Siaya, Bondo and Ugunja acquired municipality charters.

The County is huge and there are enough investment opportunities to go round.

Siaya is home to an abundance of support services for new and expanding businesses whether you are seeking business planning advice, financing assistance or business networking opportunities. Siaya county will offer your business a variety of incentives.

The growth and prosperity for the devolved unit is anchored on the Blue economy and Agriculture.

The 2010 statistics collated from 69 beaches shows that Siaya had a total catch of 9000 tons of fish valued at KES 836 Million but currently the amount is almost doubled.

Due to proximity of Siaya to Kisumu International Airport, the County will be able to export fish and its products abroad. To facilitate this, access roads to the beaches are enhanced and the County will improve on the landing sites to enable faster produce delivery to the market.

Areas for investments

Upgrade the current high output landing sites into cooling plants and fish auction centers. Establish cage farming sites along Lake Victoria. Establish modern boat and fish machinery building plants.

Currently Siaya is surviving with a Ksh 150 million fish plant at Luanda K’Otieno and its yet to be handed over to a strategic partner to operate.

The County government will identify and provide land for development, offer tax incentives and provide a secure environment that will assist potential investors in the fisheries industries.

In tourism, Siaya is keen on playing a critical role in Western Kenya tourism circuit that connects Kisumu, Vihiga, Busia, Homabay and Migori. The County is endowed with rich cultures, notable geographical features include Lake Victoria, The world’s second largest Freshwater lake, Lake Kanyaboli-the second oxbow lake in Africa, numerous islands such as Ndeda, Mageta, and mountainous ranges like Got Ramogi, and Got Abiero.

The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga museum is among heritage sites that attract tourists to the region. Investments in the hotel industries have been robust in towns like Bondo and Siaya with excellent facilities that provide accommodation and food.

The County is seeking to improve the current bed-capacity rates by establishing beach tourism.

Siaya also has abundant natural resources. It experiences excellent weather conditions for exploring and developing renewable energy ventures. From carbon trading, solar and wind energy.

Just like the biblical Eden, two rivers Yala and Nzoia crisscross the County and provide water and irrigation opportunities throughout the year.

Gold, Sand and Stone Harvesting

The County is endowed with gold deposits, sand and stone sites which have remained under-tapped for years. The government is ready to partner with organizations interested in gold prospecting within the County.