By Ali Abdi
The future is looking up for Eastern and North Eastern provinces with a Kenyan firm expressing interest in setting up the proposed Isiolo Resort City. The plan is in line with the Isiolo District Development Plan 2002-2008, and the government’s Vision 2030 on housing.
Planners of the latter identified Isiolo town, which is strategically located at the edge of the vast ‘Northern Frontier District’, as the key to driving growth in the region. Consequently, the firm, Santiza Enterprises, has formally applied for 10,000 hectares of land from Isiolo County Council for the project.
Speaking to Home & Away, the company’s Chief Executive officer, Voltaire Kegode, said the Isiolo branch of Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry had commissioned his firm for the project that will be located west of Isiolo town.
Amenities for the proposed nucleus town (resort city) will comprise ultra modern residential housing facilities, a golf course, a hospital, schools, shopping malls, a police post, and a fertilizer processing plant among others.
Sourcing for the capital
Santiza Enterprises specializes in financial procurement and management, both locally and internationally. In a meeting held on May 22 between Isiolo County Council and officials of Santiza Enterprises, it was decided that the latter will source a staggering $2 billion dollars (approximately Sh130 billion) from development partners for this project. This amount is only Sh10 billion less than this year’s development budget (Sh140billion) for the entire country!
According to Santiza’s CEO, the plan was in its final stages and the concept would soon be presented to Francis Muthaura, the current chairman of the Isiolo Resort City and also secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service.
‘‘Muthaura will facilitate the necessary representations to the various arms of Government whom we hope to work with to achieve our objective,’’ said Kegodo.
Santiza Enterprises specializes in financial procurement and management, both locally and internationally. In a meeting held on May 22 between Isiolo County Council and officials of Santiza Enterprises, it was decided that the latter will source a staggering $2 billion dollars (approximately Sh130 billion) from development partners for this project. This amount is only Sh10 billion less than this year’s development budget (Sh140billion) for the entire country!
According to Santiza’s CEO, the plan was in its final stages and the concept would soon be presented to Francis Muthaura, the current chairman of the Isiolo Resort City and also secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service.
‘‘Muthaura will facilitate the necessary representations to the various arms of Government whom we hope to work with to achieve our objective,’’ said Kegodo.
Attracting investment partners
In a letter dated August 4, 2005, Muthaura stated that the government was keen on developing the town into a city resort.
"Isiolo is currently the leading tourist destination in the northern circuit and it has great potential to contribute to national development because of its strategic location," Muthaura was quoted in a letter.
According to Santiza, in order to ensure its successful completion, the project shall involve local communities. ‘‘To attract investment partners, there is need to present Isiolo as an attractive investment opportunity as reflected by the community’s willingness to participate,’’ stated Santiza in a document.
Citing the case of Dubai and Sun City in South Africa, the firm reaffirmed its commitment to set up peace building and conflict management centers to check cases of insecurity in the area.
In a letter dated August 4, 2005, Muthaura stated that the government was keen on developing the town into a city resort.
"Isiolo is currently the leading tourist destination in the northern circuit and it has great potential to contribute to national development because of its strategic location," Muthaura was quoted in a letter.
According to Santiza, in order to ensure its successful completion, the project shall involve local communities. ‘‘To attract investment partners, there is need to present Isiolo as an attractive investment opportunity as reflected by the community’s willingness to participate,’’ stated Santiza in a document.
Citing the case of Dubai and Sun City in South Africa, the firm reaffirmed its commitment to set up peace building and conflict management centers to check cases of insecurity in the area.
Vision 2030 for Isiolo
Under the Vision 2030 plan of action launched in earlier in June by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, tourism is the country’s leading flagship project. The plan for the resort city aims to put Kenya at par with Asia’s Tiger countries like Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea.
Isiolo’s Resort City is one of three resort cities that the government has planned to construct by the year 2012. The other two resort cities will be based at the Coast.
Under the Vision 2030 plan of action launched in earlier in June by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, tourism is the country’s leading flagship project. The plan for the resort city aims to put Kenya at par with Asia’s Tiger countries like Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea.
Isiolo’s Resort City is one of three resort cities that the government has planned to construct by the year 2012. The other two resort cities will be based at the Coast.
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