Construction works has begun on the Sh 1.4billion Convention Center project in Kisumu County. The project broke grounds with a ceremony performed by Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and County Governor Nyong’o.
The project involves construction of a main auditorium, 15 breakaway rooms, 60 exhibition spaces, outdoor amphitheatre, VIP lounge, cultural centre, health centre, press rooms, picnic area and a children’s park is expected to be completed in eight months.
Second to KICC
The Convention Center set to be completion in eight months will host over 5, 000 delegates during the Afri-Cities conference to be held in the lake side city in April next year. Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said the facility which is the second one of its kind in the country after Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi was set to revolutionize conference tourism within the lake region.
“This facility will not only serve the Lake region counties but with the revival of lake transport we are looking to have our brothers from Uganda and Tanzania bring meetings here,” said CS Wamalwa.
Afri-cities slated for April 26-30, 2022, is the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa’s (UCLGA) flagship pan-African event that is held every three years in one of the five regions of Africa. Devolution Principal Secretary (PS) Julius Korir said Kenya has already paid 2.5 million Euros to United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA), the franchise holders for the event. The government, disclosed, plans to take advantage of the conference to demonstrate the success of devolution and at the same time showcase investment opportunities in the lake region.
