TRIP OVER

Raila Odinga has Wednesday concluded his official visit to Singapore with firm commitments for increased participation by Singaporean experts in Kenya's economic and technical development.

In a technical agreement signed during the PM's visit, Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) was tasked to conceptualize, implement and manage three special economic zones in Mombasa, Kisumu and Lamu to enhance Kenya's quest towards the realization of vision 2030.

The government of Kenya also agreed to engage SCE in planning and implementation of affordable and sustainable public housing system.

It was further agreed that the two countries would collaborate in the development of ports, e-government, and Mass Rapid Transit System dealing in both rail and road transport in major urban areas in Kenya.

Singapore and Kenya also agreed to ease air connections between the two countries by allowing Kenya Airways and Singapore Airlines to operate in the two countries.

And during a courtesy call on the Singaporean Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Mr. Odinga said Kenya would draw from Singapore's advanced technology particularly in financial services, information communication technology (ICT), housing and urban development, transport and trade to develop her own economy.

Noting that Singapore and Kenya were at par in the 1960s, the PM observed that wealth creation rather than handouts was the way to succeed in Kenya's efforts to realize the status of a newly industrialized country as envisaged in vision 2030.

Mr. Odinga said massive rural-urban migration that arose soon after independence had severely compromised services to the people in the urban areas and singled out shortage of housing as one of the most affected.

This phenomenon, he added, was the cause of the growth of slums in the urban centres which have been difficult to eradicate in Kenya because of lack of resources.

Mr. Goh Chok Tong encouraged Kenya to modernize her systems and adopt workable policies that would spur economic development.

The PM is accompanied by the Minister for Industrialization Henry Kosgey, the Minister for Transport Chirau Ali Mwakwere, the Minister for Housing Soita Shitanda, the Minister for Trade Amos Kimunya, the Minister for Information and Communications Samuel Poghisio and an Assistant Minister for Finance Dr. Oburu Oginga.