Hopes For Kisumu Residents As Ruto’s Promise for Sh1B Kabonyo Fish Hub Project Gets Underway

The shoreline communities of Kisumu County are finally seeing their long-awaited dreams materialize as the massive Sh1.3 billion Kabonyo Fisheries and Aquaculture Services and Training Centre of Excellence advances from blueprint to reality.

After months of uncertainty that had residents fearing another abandoned government project, the Hungarian-contracted facility is now 30 percent complete, breathing new life into a region whose economic fortunes have long been tied to the fluctuating health of Lake Victoria’s fisheries.

The project’s journey has been anything but smooth. Following President William Ruto’s groundbreaking ceremony in October 2023, construction ground to a halt for five months, leaving local fisherfolk questioning whether their community would witness yet another white elephant project. However, following high-level interventions and a renewed commitment from the presidency, work resumed in March 2025 with visible momentum.

“We are very happy. The project is finally taking off after a long delay,” said Bartholomew Ogutu, a local resident whose optimism reflects the broader community sentiment. His words carry the weight of a population that has seen promises come and go, but now witnesses bulldozers and construction crews transforming their landscape.

The scale of the project is impressive. Spanning 25 acres in Kabonyo-Kanyagwal Ward, the facility will house 20 fish ponds capable of producing 28 million fingerlings annually. Beyond fish production, the center will include comprehensive training facilities, dormitories for apprentice fishermen, staff quarters, and modern storage facilities – infrastructure that could fundamentally alter the region’s approach to aquaculture.

For Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, the project represents more than just construction activity. “I thank President Ruto for ensuring the continuation of this transformative project. He gave us his word, and now tangible progress is visible on the ground,” he noted, emphasizing the political capital invested in seeing the project through to completion.

The economic implications extend beyond fish farming. With 80 workers currently employed on-site and plans for road improvements connecting Korowe to the facility, the project is already generating the kind of economic activity that communities around Lake Victoria desperately need. The construction of an 800-meter access road and flood-control canal demonstrates attention to long-term sustainability rather than quick fixes.

Perhaps most significantly, the center addresses Lake Victoria’s declining fish stocks through a scientific approach to restocking. Kenneth Onyango, the county’s agriculture executive, views the facility as pivotal in promoting sustainable aquaculture practices that could reverse years of declining catches.

The project’s alignment with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) is evident in its employment generation for engineers, artisans, plumbers, and support staff. This isn’t merely about fish farming – it’s about building local capacity and creating sustainable livelihoods in a region that has often felt disconnected from national economic planning.

As Phase One approaches its projected June 2026 completion date, the facility represents hope for a community that has weathered economic storms and political disappointments. For Kisumu residents, the Kabonyo Centre isn’t just about fish – it’s about proving that government promises can translate into tangible change, one fingerling at a time.

The success of this project could serve as a model for similar initiatives across Kenya’s lake regions, potentially transforming how the country approaches aquaculture and blue economy development. For now, however, the focus remains on ensuring that the momentum continues and that June 2026 marks not just a completion date, but the beginning of a new chapter in Kisumu’s economic story.