UK offers Sh1b grant to decongest Bungoma town

An aerial view of Bungoma town. [Micah Sali, Standard]

The county has won a Sh1 billion grant to upgrade infrastructure within Bungoma Municipality and decongest the town's Central Business District.

The Sustainable Urban Economic Development (SUED) grant follows a winning proposal to improve Bungoma's urban infrastructure to attract investments.

Managed through the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), SUED is a £60 million (Sh7.7 billion) five-year programme to support up to 12 fast growing municipalities in Kenya.

Under the programme, the county will also receive expert advice on urban planning, training on urban management and investment promotions.

Governor Wycliffe Wangamati (pictured) said part of the money will go towards de-congesting the town and easing movement within the central business district.

Governor Wangamati has been pushing for the creation of more municipalities in the county and expansion of existing ones.

In March this year, the governor wrote to the Transport ministry requesting for the delineation of boundaries of four urban centres in the county in a process that will see Webuye and Chwele towns become municipalities.