President William Ruto has announced a KSh.4 billion government investment to establish a new smart city in Malaba, Busia County, in a move aimed at transforming the border town into a modern urban and commercial centre.
The proposed Malaba Smart City will include 2,000 affordable housing units, alongside other urban amenities expected to create employment opportunities, expand business activities and attract new investments to the region.
Speaking while addressing grassroots leaders from the Teso community at the Eldoret State Lodge on Saturday, President Ruto said the project would significantly change the appearance and character of Malaba.
“We will build a smart city in Malaba so that it starts looking better and stops looking like a shopping centre,” Ruto said.
The President said the Malaba project is part of a broader government development programme targeting Busia County.
According to Ruto, the government has allocated KSh.18 billion to Busia County for various projects, including affordable housing, modern markets and hostels for university and college students.
Ruto also defended the government’s Affordable Housing Programme, saying it has so far created employment for about 1.1 million people nationally, including professionals and skilled workers such as architects, engineers, plumbers, carpenters, electricians and masons.
The planned smart city is expected to strengthen Malaba’s position as an important border and commercial centre, while providing residents with modern housing and improved urban facilities.
Malaba is a major border crossing between Kenya and Uganda, making it strategically important for regional trade and movement of goods and people.
The announcement comes as the government continues to push for increased investment in infrastructure and urban development across the country, with Ruto maintaining that development projects should be distributed more equitably among Kenya’s regions.
