Siaya posted Kenya’s fastest GDP growth over the last decade, according to a new World Bank study released last month. The lakeside county grew at 10 per cent per annum to take pole position followed by Elgeyo Marakwet (8.8 per cent) and Tharaka Nithi (8.6 per cent).
Siaya governor Cornel Rasanga attributed the accelerated growth of Siaya to the extended construction of roads, hospitals and sports facilities as well as improvement in management of fish resources in Lake Victoria.
He added that Siaya’s growth is largely attributed to the increased stocks of drugs at the various hospitals in the county; increased admissions to local schools; agriculture and expansion of trade. Siaya’s GDP was recorded at $287 million with a wealth per capita of $340; about half the Kenyan average.
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The county boss said they have already opened 592 kilometres of rural roads with another 40 kilometres stretching from Siaya town to Nyadorera township being tarmacked. “The road is being tarmacked courtesy of our lobbying; the roads within Siaya town which have been dilapidated following lack of funds are also being tarmacked at the moment,” he said.
Some six ambulances acquired for use in the constituencies for boosting emergency response have also been lauded as one of the great strides the county has made. The GDP growth is also based on interventions in agriculture where at least 10,000 acres of smallholder farms have been ploughed through subsidies from a tractor programme.
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In the program, farmers pay Sh1,850 for ploughing an acre of land which is deemed slightly lower than commercial rates of at least Sh3,500. “We increased maize yields from 130,683 metric tons in 2012 to 160,638 metric tonnes in 2014; beans production increased from 25,534 metric tonnes in 2012 to 31,202 metric tons in 2014,” Mr Rasanga said.
A bursary scheme for poor but needy children has also raised the performance indices of the county after Sh80 million was been disbursed to 12,700 secondary and college students in the Financial Years 2013/14 and FY 2014/15. The county has also installed more than 200 solar-powered street lights which have largely seen incidences of insecurity reduced tremendously as well as increased business hours in most markets in the region. The presence of universities among other institutions of higher learning has created opportunities for real estate investment.
“If you look at the rate at which our bed space is expanding, then you will understand why Siaya is the next destination for tourism business; the colleges have been a plus in creating ready markets for some of the consumables that are produced around Lake Victoria,’’ Mr Rasanga said.
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