By Anderson Ojwang
Homa Bay County has stirred the public with high-voltage international investment and trade conferences that have turned out to be pipe dreams.
While Murang’a County, which held its investment conference in June this year, has this month of October invited investors to bid and submit proposals.
Governor Irungu Kang’ata recently wrote on his X handle, “Invest in Murang’a now. The county formally invites applications for investment opportunities, particularly manufacturers.”
In the post captioned Investment Opportunities in Murang’a County, he called for public requests for proposals pursuant to Section 12(1)(E) of the Land Act, Cap 28.
The Murang’a County Government is committed to industrializing the county, creating jobs, and enhancing opportunities for value addition to its diverse agricultural products. The ultimate goal is to increase farmers’ income, improve the overall standard of living for residents, and boost the county’s own-source revenue.
The additional revenue will support ongoing public projects such as paving more roads and expanding healthcare systems, among others.
In pursuit of this vision, the county hosted its inaugural investment conference on 13th–14th June 2025. During the conference, a market sounding of available opportunities was undertaken, and the county pledged to provide detailed investment opportunities at a later date.
The county government now formally invites interested investors to explore and engage in these opportunities.
The target investment areas are Murang’a Industrial Park, Gikono Landfill, SME Parks, and the Export Processing Zone.
In 2023, then-Governor Cyprian Awiti entered into a mega partnership with two international organizations that would see the county benefit from a Sh 595 billion project.
The money was in the form of a grant, and the partnership aimed at turning the agriculturally rich and fish-endowed county into an agri-city with a vibrant mix of business, infrastructure, and standard urban amenities.
The project was a joint venture between Good Earth Power, Urban Green Energy, and the County Government, set to run for 30 years.
According to the master plan, the project was to witness the construction of 100,000 houses, modern roads, and the generation of clean power.
Other ventures included water purification, sewage management, and the construction of modern recreational facilities.
Awiti then said, “This is a God-sent investment that will turn around the economy of Homa Bay County. I am telling doubting Thomases to open their eyes wide and see what we are going to come up with.”
But the doubting Thomases proved Awiti wrong, and his pipe dream was a wild goose chase that left Homa Bay at the bottom of the county rankings.
For Homa Bay County under Awiti, it lost the golden opportunity to exploit its endless potential, and he left the worst legacy.
Last year, Governor Gladys Wanga hosted the second International Investment and Trade Conference, which was attended by President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, among others.
It was billed as a milestone in exploiting the endless potential of Homa Bay County, and afterward, it gained a positive ranking.
During the recent International Investment Conference, the Homa Bay County Government and investors signed eight Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs).
Wanga commended all stakeholders, including the executive, partners, and sponsors, for their contributions to the success of the investment conference.
The county government signed MOUs with various organizations, including Afropal International Limited, Ento Tech Africa Limited, Yazmark International, Rift Valley Products Limited, Manda University Trust, Fairdeal Real Estate, Kenya Shipyard Limited, and Redington.
Wanga said that in the agricultural sector, Afropal International Limited, in collaboration with the national government, will provide a framework for edible oil palm production around the Lake Victoria region, including Homa Bay County.
Yazmark International and the Homa Bay County Government are set to establish a 50-bed Mother and Child Specialist Hospital to tackle regional healthcare challenges.
“With regards to education, the county is expected to establish Manda University Kenya to specialize in health sciences and agricultural courses through a partnership with Manda University Trust,” she added.
The Governor said Fairdeal Real Estate is set to invest in affordable housing and student hostel construction projects to support the growing population in the county.
On the other hand, Redington, through the partnership, was also expected to generate solar power that would benefit beaches, schools, and hospitals not connected to the national grid in Homa Bay, which will promote employment and technology transfer.
But Riwa Industrial Park, which was expected to host investors, is incomplete and an eyesore. Riwa, which is a joint project between the national government and county government, currently stands at 37 percent completion.
This is despite the national government having contributed its 50 percent share of Sh 250 million, while the county government had allocated and disbursed Sh 250 million.
The sad reality is that at the Riwa Industrial Park there is no roofing, and the fencing of the facility is incomplete.
Sources revealed that the State Department had blacklisted Homa Bay County for failing to complete the construction even after receiving the national government allocation.
The national government had even installed a transformer at the facility to provide electricity to investors, but it now looks abandoned.
The county government was directed to complete the construction by 25th August 2025, but no works are ongoing at the facility, while Migori County, which received funds recently, has achieved 80 percent completion at their industrial park.
Director of Communication Mr. Steve Muga declined to pick our calls and did not respond to our text messages.
