Counties set to upgrade towns in a Sh 361m proposal.

Swedish government is set to fund Homa Bay, Kisumu, Kakamega and Trans nzoia counties in which they will receive Sh 361million to reduce congestion in their towns for development purposes. The four counties are among the seven that the Swedish Government is set to fund in order to improve the plan of their urban centers.

This is based upon the programme hailed as SymbioCity which will take 3-5 years. The other three counties to be funded in the initial stage are Kitui, Meru and Nakuru.

The projects to be undertaken in SymbioCity programme will help draw out new plans for the towns to adapt to trends based on devolution. The selection was done in accordance with the SymbioCity methodology in which the counties were selected based on their potential to bring about renovation. The status of the towns will be done in accordance to the constitution.

Lack of updated planning policies makes most towns to face development challenges and obstacles. Julius Malombe chairman to the Council of Governors urban development committee said the law decrees that counties are to develop urban and rural areas as unified areas of economic and social activities in coherence with overall national planning.