Kisumu County secures Sh97.5m grant for Lakefront development

 

The County Government of Kisumu has secured a grant to fund the redevelopment of the  Lakefront Project.

 

The county has received a Sh97.5- million ($750,000) grant from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to boost the establishment of the project.

 

The funding, channelled through AfDB’s Urban and Municipal Development Fund (UMDF) programme, will finance a comprehensive feasibility study aimed at transforming the city’s lakefront into a climate-resilient and inclusive urban space.

 

Kisumu Governor, Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, who hosted an AfDB delegation in Kisumu, described the funding as a significant milestone in the city’s push to reorient itself towards Lake Victoria.

 

“We had made remarkable strides in our mission to transform Kisumu and bring our vision of a lake-facing city to life,” he said.

 

 “The feasibility study empowered us to undertake comprehensive technical, financial, and environmental evaluations of key projects laying the groundwork for a robust pipeline of bankable initiatives that align seamlessly with our development priorities and climate resilience goals,” he said.

 

Kisumu County had completed the city profiling and prioritization stages and entered the feasibility phase, a critical step toward attracting long-term infrastructure investments for its lakefront transformation.

 

He added that the upcoming study will anchor proposed lakefront projects within Kisumu’s Local Physical and Land Use Development Plan, County Integrated Development Plan, and the broader national Public Financial Management (PFM) systems.

Once complete, he said, the feasibility report is expected to unlock further funding opportunities from multilateral lenders and development partners, positioning Kisumu as a model for climate-smart urban renewal in the region.

 

The African Development Bank delegation was led by Senior Urban Development Officer, Babati Mokgethi, who reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to supporting secondary cities like Kisumu with practical, sustainable urban planning tools.

 

“We were pleased to support Kisumu in identifying viable projects that strengthen urban resilience, improve service delivery, and attract further public and private investment,” Mokgethi said. 

 

He emphasized that the feasibility study has been critical in ensuring the proposed initiatives are technically sound, environmentally sustainable, and financially viable.

 

The Kisumu Lakefront Development Corporation (KLDC), a county government agency tasked with spearheading lakefront development, championed a series of transformative projects to revitalize the city’s waterfront. 

 

Its efforts aims to turn the area into a dynamic hub for tourism, trade, and economic growth, redefining Kisumu’s identity as a lake-facing metropolis.

 

Key initiatives include the development of a 46-kilometer promenade, public beaches, parks, and an aquapark to enhance public access and enjoyment of  waterfront reinventing Kisumu’s image as a vibrant destination for recreation, tourism and community engagement.