After more than 100 years of producing gold, Kakamega County is now bracing for its first ever refinery that will cost the national and county governments some Ksh5.8 billion ($45 million) to build in Ikolomani, about two kilometres west of the town’s central business district.

Governor Fernandes Barasa said when he broke the news that the initiative is expected to generate dozens of job openings and increase local revenue through royalties from gold mining activities.

He announced this during this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations at Malava Primary School in Malava Sub-County. The event, marked with pomp and colour, drew residents from across the county as leaders commemorated Kenya’s journey towards self-rule in 1963.

“Our partnership with the national government on the gold refinery project in Ikolomani is a game-changer for the local economy,” Governor Barasa said. “It will not only create employment but also ensure that communities benefit from the mineral wealth through enhanced royalties.”

The governor used the occasion to highlight key development milestones in the county and reaffirm his administration’s commitment to economic transformation, infrastructure development and youth empowerment.

Barasa also emphasised the need for unity and active public participation in governance, urging citizens to support ongoing development programmes in the county. He noted that, with increased investment in education, healthcare and agriculture, Kakamega is on track to becoming a regional economic powerhouse.

In attendance were county leaders, religious figures, civil society representatives, and hundreds of residents who gathered to reflect on Kenya’s progress since attaining self-governance in 1963.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By John Ochanda