The National Infrastructure Fund will be unveiled this week, President William Ruto announced.
He said the fund will help mobilise resources for the country’s much-needed infrastructure development.
He pointed out that the proposed fund is designed to attract up to six times more financing from the private sector.
He explained that the Infrastructure Fund will ensure Kenya follows through on the country’s transformation plans, which have remained elusive for years because of limited financing.
“For a long time, we have had many plans, but we have not had the ability to actualize the plans because we have not had a strategy how to get the money needed. But now have a new framework to fund our plans,” he said.
He made the remarks during the launch of the Tsavo West Rhino Sanctuary in Ngulia, Taita Taveta County, on Tuesday.
He said the National Infrastructure Fund will be used to build 50 mega dams and another 1,000 small and medium dams to provide water for domestic, livestock, wildlife and for irrigation.
He explained that this will help curb human-wildlife conflicts in arid and semi-arid areas that border parks.
“We will begin using arid and semi-arid regions to grow food and keep more livestock,” he added.
Ruto said the government is committed to the conservation and protection of wildlife, citing the endangered rhino.
He noted that the government has expanded the Tsavo West Rhino Sanctuary, strengthened security with advanced surveillance systems and upgraded key infrastructure.
He added that the country has invested in the world’s largest rhino monitoring and tagging exercise to secure the future of the national herd, citing $4.7 million (KSh606 million) to strengthen Tsavo’s protection capacity, making it one of the most advanced wildlife security systems in Africa.
Ruto said the government has also built more than 250 kilometers of upgraded fencing.
Ruto said the new Tsavo West Rhino Sanctuary covers more than 3,200 square kilometres, making it the largest in the world.
He explained that the older Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary was only 92 square kilometres, yet carried nearly 150 black rhinos far beyond its capacity.
With more space, stronger security, improved genetics and lower density, Ruto explained, Kenya is now ready to raise black rhino population growth from 5 per cent to 8 per cent a year.
“This will directly advance our national targets of 1,450 rhinos by 2030 and 2,000 rhinos by 2037,” he said.
Ruto said the government will ensure conservation works for communities, who will be the new shareholders in Kenya’s green future.
He noted that the Tsavo West Rhino Sanctuary is already creating jobs in ranger work, surveillance, monitoring, fencing, roadworks, construction and logistics.
“By 2030, this initiative is projected to create more than 18,000 jobs and generate over $45 million (KSh5.8 billion) in conservancy and tourism revenue,” he pointed out.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said the launch of the Tsavo West Rhino Sanctuary in Ngulia is an uncontested win of global significance in the world of conservation.
“This initiative is unmatched. It is a statement that Kenya is on the global map when it comes to conservation,” he said.
She noted that the launch coincides with the Jamhuri Day Celebrations Week, whose theme is ‘Tourism Wildlife and MICE’. This period is aimed at celebrating the place of tourism and conservation in the country.
Taita-Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime welcomed public-private partnership arrangements to address the water challenge in the county, noting that it affects both humans and wildlife.
He said wildlife attacks human settlements in search of water, pointing out that this can be resolved by supplying water within the parks.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director-General Erustus Kanga said President Ruto had spearheaded reforms at KWS, including the hiring of 1,500 officers and reviewing conservation fees to foster financial sustainability.
He said these reforms have borne fruit.
“I can confidently say that with the current tourism trends, KWS will not require funding from the National Treasury,” he said.
Ambassador Monica Juma, former US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman, and MPs were among those present.
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