Deals worth Sh21 billion were signed at the maiden Kisii Entrepreneurship Summit last week, key among them the construction of a sugar factory in the county. Investors also committed themselves to undertake a low-cost housing project and improving Internet infrastructure.
In a move likely to provide employment opportunities to thousands of people, the county government said it will fast-track the processes to actualise the projects. India-based Kanoria Group committed Sh5 billion for the establishment of the sugar complex that will produce sugar, ethanol and power in South Mugirango sub-county.
The firm’s group chief financial officer Vinod Vora said it will initially crush 2,500 tonnes of sugarcane to produce 86,000 tonnes of sugar, 7,500 litres of ethanol and eight megawatts of power while the biomass waste will be used to make animal feed, among other products.
When the idea for setting up a sugar factory in the county was first mooted in 2014, the Kisii county government said it had identified an investor to set up the factory at an estimated Sh2.4 billion. The factory is expected to create 600 direct jobs.
The move will greatly benefit cane farmers in the region and significantly reduce transportation costs incurred by farmers when ferrying the produce to millers in other counties.
Farmers currently sell their cane to Sony Sugar, Trans Mara and Sukari sugar factories in Narok, Migori and Narok counties respectively while the bulk of the cane is processed by local jaggerries for consumption.
Internet service provider, Liquid Telecom also pledged Sh6 billion in connectivity projects. Chief commercial officer Paul Statham said the firm will connect the county government with its devolved units while setting up WiFi in Kisii town and also fast-track interconnectivity with Isebania along the Kenya-Tanzania border.