Visitors enjoy what lakeside city, Kisumu has to offer

Suppliers drive with their goods into Tom Mboya Labour College during the second annual Devolution Conference. [Photo: DENISH OCHIENG/ STANDARD]

KISUMU: It is boom time for Kisumu's business community after the full weight of the Presidency, Council of Governors and county assemblies descended on the lakeside city for the Devolution Conference at the Tom Mboya Labour College.

All hotels are full after hundreds of delegates and other visitors thronged the town for the meeting, with many forced to seek accommodation outside the town.

Many were heard joking that "Serikal obiro Kisumu" (the Government has come to Kisumu) due to the air of expectation and the heightened security presence ahead of the arrival of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who opened the conference yesterday.

There was a notable increase in the numbers of gleaming limousines and Toyota Land Cruisers as the city's capacity for conference services was stretched to the limit, with hundreds of national, county, diplomatic and private sector officials at the three-day conference.

With the number of guests estimated to be at least 5,000, it was brisk business for traders eager to cash in on the "moneyed" guests. Many of the hotels hiked their charges by over 200 per cent, eager not to miss out on the rare windfall.

Western Kenya Hospitality Leaders' Association Chairman Robinson Anyal said the industry is among the major beneficiaries as hotels had recorded over 90 per cent bed occupancy.

"Many guests managed to secure accommodation within the city, with a few who were locked out due to high charges, moving to neighbouring counties," he said.

And at the venue of the conference, dozens of traders who managed to secure stalls were overwhelmed by the huge number of buyers.

"The conference is a huge gain for us and we love it. We are selling nearly everything. We hope to have such big conferences in coming years," said Lilian Atieno, an artifacts trader.

Conference organisers were overheard complaining that they were unable to get security badge holders anywhere in Kisumu after they ran out of stock. The badges were being issued at Victoria Primary School, about a kilometre away from the college.

GLAMOROUS DISPLAY

"We cannot get these security badge holders anywhere in this city. Delegates will have to make do with badges but not holders any-more," a registration clerk said as he handed over the last badge-holder to this writer.

Across freshly painted Kisumu streets, Toyota Land Cruisers and Fortuners, seemed to be the preferred cars for county assembly officials, replacing the noisy and uncontrollable boda bodas in a glamorous display of devolution. The luxury cars in green number plates could be spotted parked at pubs in the estates and in the city centre on Monday night and at the famous fish-eating joints on Lwang'ni Beach as visitors enjoyed the city's cuisine.

Visitors also thronged the Kenya Wildlife Service Kisumu Impala Sanctuary, Museum, Kiboko Bay, Dunga Beach and Hippo Point. They made their way to the venue shortly after the first session of the conference ended.

Governors and their deputies retreated to more private clubs as they dined and wined with other top national government officials as the "devolution bonding" gathered pace.

At the main bus station, other lower ranking officials or their relations who could not jet into or drive to the city like their seniors, were spotted carrying heavy luggage and announcing on phone that they had "jetted in" using "ndege ile ya chini" (ground plane) in reference to matatus.

Even before securing scarce accommodation, many began by partaking of their favourite tipple in the lowly pubs lining the bus station, placing their luggage at the counters.

"Kisumu is an amazing city of perpetual delight," said Governor Jack Raguma, while welcoming delegates.

Motorists had to be literary taught to use the new dual carriageway into the city from Nairobi that was only partially opened.

"I have told them enough is enough and they must now keep to their side," a traffic policeman manning the road told The Standard.

The boda boda industry and car hire business were not left out as operators made several trips ferrying guests to and from the venue.

A spot check by The Standard established that visitors started trickling into the city as early as Sunday and thronged different night clubs and bars ahead of the conference.

By late afternoon, there was barely standing room outside the venue of the conference after the unexpectedly huge turnout by locals who jammed the facility hoping to attend the proceedings in vain. President Kenyatta got a warm reception in the region during his first ever visit since he was elected.