Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago with a Chinese investor during a visit to China in October 2016. [Photo: hivisasa.com]
Uasin Gishu county will Friday this week realise yet another bright spark in attracting investors as President Uhuru Kenyatta is scheduled to preside over the ground breaking of Kenya’s first licensed special African Economic Zones (AEZ) in Plateau.
The setting up of the economic zone that will be known as the Pearl River Industrial Park comes just a year after the county was named the Most Investor Friendly in year’s World Bank’s survey.
According to a press release from the Uasin Gishu county government communication team, the Sh200 billion project is the brainchild of Governor Jackson Mandago and businessman David Lagat.
The two are said to have traveled to China in October 2016 where the investment idea was conceived.
"During the visit, top nine richest Chinese investors accepted to invest in the Plateau project. President Kenyatta recently signed the MoU with the Chinese investor," read part of the communication send to the press on Tuesday.
"Improved infrastructure, a resurgence of various economic activities around the county, positioning it as an industrial and manufacturing hub will be the outcome of the deal, which will put the county on the world map," it added.
Under the project, a neighbourhood of 20 companies will be established, yielding up to 40,000 direct jobs and 150,000 indirect jobs.