Lamu becomes first county to launch spatial plan

0
1248
Lamu Governor Issa Timamy and World Wide Fund for Nature-W.W.F organization top officials during the launch. PHOTO: NATASHA NEMA.

Lamu, KENYA: The county government of Lamu has launched a ten-year spatial plan, becoming the first county out of the 47 to have a spatial plan.

The event was held at the Mkunguni Square in Lamu town and presided by Lamu Governor Issa Timamy and World Wide Fund for Nature-W.W.F organization top officials who are the major players in the preparation of the plan.

Other partners who took part in the preparation of the spatial plan are the National Lands Commissio-NLC,KWS,KFS and the LAPSSET amongst others.

The plan took two years to prepare and will be in force for the next ten years.

The plan provides comprehensive strategies and policy guidelines to solve the problems of rural and urban development, industry, infrastructure and human settlement, ecotourism and sustainable environmental management.

Speaking during the launch,Lamu governor Issa Timamy said the implementation plan will be a major milestone towards securing biodiversity hot spots, sustainable management of natural resources and improvement of the quality of life and The well being of the residents of Lamu county.

Counties have been encouraged to prepare spatial plans in order to enable them identify resources available and work towards developing such resources.

Timamy said the Lamu County Spatial Plan addresses notable challenges in the county order to improve the standards of living of the people through employment creation, reduction of poverty, and creation of wealth as well as guide sustainable development.

He said the plan will enable the county to properly and productively utilized its most valued resources.

“I am so proud that Lamu is the first county in Kenya to launch a spatial plan.We trust that the plan will go along way in improving the lives of the people of Lamu for the ten year period that it will be in force.We shall ensure its implemented to the latter,” said Timamy.

The W.W.F CEO Mohamed Awer said apart from helping in planning of how the county resources shall be used to the benefit of the county,the spatial plan will also help in identifying more resources and gauge the capability of the county in utilizing them.

He pledged that the WWF shall continue lending any necessary support towards ensuring the spatial plan in well implemented forthwith and urged other counties to emulate Lamu.

“A spatial plan aids counties to forge ahead development wise. We have already supported the county with Sh 21 million for the spatial planning. We will work together in ensuring the county achieves its development endeavors,” said Awer.

A total of Sh.30 Million was spent on the preparation of the county spatial plan.

Comments

comments