The County Government through a Directorate of Trade and Enterprise Development, mobilised and led a team of technical officers drawn from various Departments to Kakuma today, to assess the progress of the Biashara-Huduma Centre in readiness to offer crucial services to the people ahead of the launch in April, 2023.
James Lokwale, Director of Trade said it was necessary to have a technical team to visit the Kakuma Centre and find out if the facility is ready to open its doors to wananchi to provide the required services.The International Finance Corporation (IFC) under the Kakuma Kalobeyei Challenge Fund (KKCF) Program has been supporting the County Government of Turkana to establish a Biashara-Huduma Centre in Kakuma to offer services to both the host community and the refugees living in Turkana West sub-county.
In collaboration with the County Department of Trade, Gender & Youth Affairs and the Office of the County Attorney, IFC is also offering technical advisory on legal and policy reforms to support Investment Promotion (IP) as well as the deployment of an Investment Promotion Portal to attract and facilitate domestic and foreign direct investments into the county.Director Lokwale said the County Government reiterates the IFC’s commitment towards the implementation of the TCG/UNHCR/IFC collaboration agreement which is keen to see operationalization of the Kakuma Biashara-Huduma Centre to benefit not only the people in Turkana West but Countywide as well.
Notably, the team agreed that the Centre is more than 95% complete and is ready for its operationalisation, to save the people of time to travel to Lodwar to seek for the crucial services.However, WASH raised concern that there is need to talk to Water Resources Management Authority(WARMA) over issues of management of a borehole for the centre, lest the Authority might disconnect the supply system crucial for the facility.As a result of the availability of the safe drinking water in the facility, the team recommended to have a bottling plant utilizing water to avoid wastage which eventually will earn the County the extra revenue.
On sustainability of the Biashara-Huduma Centre, the revenue team suggested it was prudent to plough back 20% of the total revenue collected from the facility to run the centre effectively.The security of the infrastructural development of the Centre was critical as the security team recommended that the perimeter wall be constructed instead of the chain-link fence that guarantees no security of the investments in the Biashara-Huduma centre.
Inspite of the few concerns raised, the technical team strongly recommended for the operationalisation of the Centre as it was clear from the report the facility is ready for the launch and handover to the County Government.
The team representing the County Government was: Emase Lopetet(Director Energy), Amos Lokaale(Ag.Director Public Works),Wilson Ejiye(Deputy Director,Trade), Rael Akilla(Assistant Director,Enforcement), Aggrey Wamocho(Assistant Director Revenue), Robert Naweet and Washington Malala(ICT), Michael Musyoki(Senior Trade Development Officer), Jane Malala and Gabriel Lodoso(Economists, Planning), Sylivia Aletia (Accountant) and Gilchrist Edoket (Procurement).IFC-World Bank Group team included, Walter Kuoni(Architect), Peter Lolem(Liaison Officer,KKCF) and Felix Kariuki(Business Environment Specialist).UNHCR team were, Nnamdi Nnaji( Settlement Planning Officer), Dieynaba Ben Messaoud(ICT Officer). Pascal Mugiraneza(Supply Officer), Felix Sehi(Supply Officer), Ranisha Basnet(Energy Officer), Akaran Napakiro(Associate Field Officer.), Onesmas Ogoti(Liaison Officer), Eng. Nabiswa Oscar(WASH Officer) and Wilfred Opundo(Snr. Shelter Associate).
