Aasai

Homa Bay County is set to make history on June 1, 2025, as it hosts the national Madaraka Day celebrations for the first time ever. Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura announced that the county was chosen due to its strategic location on Lake Victoria, making it the ideal venue to showcase Kenya’s Blue Economy agenda under the theme: “Harnessing Kenya’s Blue Economy for Sustainable Growth.”

 The celebrations will take place at the newly constructed 12,000-seater Raila Odinga Stadium, a Ksh.500 million facility hailed as a symbol of devolution and equitable development. Dr. Mwaura emphasized that the event aligns with the Kenya Kwanza administration’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which prioritizes maritime and aquatic resources for national progress.

In preparation for the event, the county has undergone major infrastructural upgrades, including the rehabilitation of over 35 kilometers of roads and improvements at Kabunde Airstrip. Key projects like the development of fish landing sites and the construction of aquaculture training centers highlight Homa Bay’s growing role as a hub in the blue economy.

Mwaura noted a surge in local business activity as visitors arrive for the national holiday, with the government promising continued investment in aquaculture and maritime training. Quoting Governor Gladys Wanga, Mwaura called the event a “devolution blessing” and urged Kenyans to embrace the economic promise of Lake Victoria’s resources.