Kisumu — The lake region counties are set to fully benefit from Blue Economy with the completion of the MV Uhuru II which will be launched by President William Ruto in May this year.
Raymond Omollo, the Principal Secretary at the State Department for Interior and National Administration confirmed that the head of state alongside East African Community heads of state will be present at the launch.
“There is a ship being constructed here in Kisumu and the president will be back in May to actually launch it and we expect the other presidents from the region to participate in that,” he said.
Omollo says the work are progressing well while commending Kenya Ship Yard for the effort they have put in ace to ensure MV Uhuru II is up and ready in time.
“If you are a visitor in Kisumu, make a visit to Kisumu Port and see a Ship built from scratch by the Kenya Ship Yard,” he told a meeting in Kisumu on Thursday.
Omollo was attending a breakfast meeting organized by Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), and he was attending in his capacity as the immediate Chief Executive Officer of Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA).
The PS says the Kenya Kwanza government has good plans for the lake region noting that once the MV Uhuru II is operationalized, the facility will create businesses as well as job opportunities.
He further announced that the famous Lake Victoria ring road is in the pipeline to link and open up the lake front.
“The road will be connecting the counties falling within the lake starting from Busia to Migori counties,” he said.
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He noted that the commitments will be actualized to support the Blue Economy and development of the region.
He went further to note that his ministry is closely working with other relevant bodies to ensure security within the lake is improved.
Lake ushers, especially fishermen have decried insecurity in the lake in the recent past as pirates and other security agencies from the neighboring countries continues to rob and confiscate their fishing gears.
“As a state department, Kenya Coast Guard services have intensified patrols in the lake to make it a safer place,” he said.
The breakfast meeting brought the Lake Region Blue Economy Multi-agency Technical Committee together to spearhead Blue Economy development within the Lake Victoria Basin.
“When organizations work together, synergies are built and mis-allocation of resources emanating from duplication of resources is minimized,” said PS Omollo.
