Five years ago, Nyang’oma Kogelo Village was just “a small village where my father was born” in the words of US President Barrack Obama when he visited the area then as a senator for Illinois.
Today, the muddy road and olden huts that featured in the area are first fading away as the village positions itself in international limelight in which it has been catapulted by the relation to President Obama, who was elected to the highest political office in America in 2008.
After a considerable upgrade of the feeder roads, installation of electricity, establishment of Kogelo Cultural Site and upgrading of neighbouring primary schools, resort villages and a three-star hotel have capped it.
The resorts and other new developments are moving in to capitalize on rising demand for accommodation as the village generates global as well as domestic tourists’ interest.
Homesteads are also feeling the spotlight pressure with most now turning to building modern houses to tap rising demand for home-stays by tourists who want to sample life in this village.
Within a short span of time, several brick and mortar structures have sprouted in Kogelo and the local shopping centre.
Real estate agents in Kisumu say over 150 plots of an eighth acre have been sold in the last one year besides other transactions involving larger chunks of land, a clear sign of the changing fortunes of the previously dormant village.
Siaya County Council chairman Aggrey Onyango says the region has attracted more investors most of them in the property sector thriving on demand for accommodation space. A number of speculators are also purchasing chunks of agricultural land anticipating to reap from capital gains as value appreciates.
Erick Ounga a Kisumu-based real estate agent who was showcasing Kogelo Resorts at the recent Kisumu Homes Expo says they have been designed to resemble lifestyle in the village. “The cottages are just like the Luo traditional huts but with names of the American states.”
The resort village has conference facilities, a modern boardroom, kitchen, restaurant, a detached bar and a hall way. The restaurant at the resort serves a variety of local and international cuisine with a capacity of serving up to 200 guests.
Besides tourists, the venue also targets institutional functions, wedding parties, holiday get-aways and team building activities. It has provided value-adds such as DSTV access and wireless internet connectivity for guests. Financial services will also be available here including a forex bureau and deposit-taking services and on-line reservations.
A cultural centre being put up by the Kenya government is expected to solidify the village as a tourist destination. It includes a museum in honour of President Obama at his ancestral home. It will also house a library, self-contained cottages, an amphitheatre, a restaurant, and artifacts from the local community and souvenir shops.
Nicholas Rajula, the developer of the Kogelo Resorts, says the upgrade of Kisumu Airport into an international airport will boost property development in the area as it becomes more accessible.
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