SENSITIZATION WORKSHOP ON DELINEATION OF URBAN AREAS IN HOMA BAY ENDS.
DeputyGovernor Hamilton Orata today officially closed a three-day sensitization and consultative workshop on delineation of boundaries of urban areas in Homa Bay County.
The meeting held at Le Savanna Country Lodge and Hotel in Kisumu brought together several stakeholders including the gazzatted Haddock Committee and Secretariat, all the County CEC Members, officials from the State Department of Housing and Urban development, MCAs and officials from the County’s Department of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning.
The Director of urban development, State Department for Housing and urban development Charles K’onyango said the program was anchored on the National urban development policy to guide the process and urged the County management to support it.
“l ask the County Management to begin thinking urban because urban is the future for us and generations to come.” He said.
He added that demarcation of all boundaries of Urban Areas and Cities in 45 Counties in Kenya is done as Per the Urban Areas and Cities (Amendment) No. 3 Of 2019 Act (Excluding Nairobi and Mombasa) by the World Bank through Kenya Urban Support Program (KUSP).
Orata appreciated the haddock committee for their commitment in their mandate and stressed that urbanization is the engine for development. “Urbanization is key since it enhances service delivery to the people hence spur economic development,” he stated.
The County Secretary Isaiah Ogwe asked the team to do a commendable job since the policy formulated will have long term effects to the County residents hence should be owned by everyone.
The Department of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning Chief Officer Charles Obondo disclosed that the Committee is tasked with delineation of five major towns namely Homa Bay, Kendu Bay, Oyugis Rangwe and Mbita towns, which may achieve the status of a municipality.
“The output of the exercise is the production of digital boundary maps for classification of urban areas into Cities, Municipalities, Towns and Markets as identified in the initial preliminary individual County Assessment Reports. “ He added.