Kisumu City Board has initiated a Sh250 million redevelopment project to address drainage challenges and enhance tourism potential along Lake Victoria's shores.
The initiative, funded by the World Bank through negotiations led by Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, focuses on modernizing Kenyatta Avenue, Oginga Odinga Street, and Ang’awa Street. The project, dubbed "CBD Triangle," aims to upgrade infrastructure including pedestrian walkways, road furniture, and sanitation facilities.
Board manager Doris Ombara emphasized that the work will prioritize areas affected by encroachment, including the Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground and critical waterways. "No one will be spared in this effort," she stated, noting that the project began two weeks prior to the article's publication.
Deputy chairperson Peris Ocholla highlighted the urgency of flood mitigation, as 60% of the city's population resides in informal settlements vulnerable to overflow from Nyamasaria and Auji rivers. The redevelopment includes clearing waterways to prepare for the impending long rains, expected to begin in late March 2019.
The drainage system, last updated in the 1950s for a population of under 50,000, now serves over one million residents. Ombara warned that encroachment on sewer lines and waterways threatens key facilities and public safety.
