A sh15 billion beer plant is expected to be opened in Kisumu in the latest move by Jubilee to woo investors.
On Wednesday, during a meeting with Diageo Global chief executive Ivan Menezes at the State House, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that the East African Breweries Limited (EABL) will set up a state-of-the-art plant.
“The investment – the modern state-of- the art brewery by the East Africa Breweries Limited – on a fifty-acre piece of land will create 110,000 jobs,” said Uhuru.
The new plant is set to raise the demand for sorghum and targets small-scale farmers.
“Indeed, KBL has contracted about 30,000 smallholder farmers across the country in areas such as Kisumu, Siaya, Migori, Homa Bay as well as Tharaka Nithi, Kitui and Makueni.”
“Increased demand for sorghum will see the number of contracted farmers grow from 30,000 to around 45,000. As a result, gross additional farmer earnings are expected to reach over Ksh.6billion annually over the next decade,” observed the President.
He also said sorghum farming will have a multiplier effect on job creation and sustaining livelihoods if done right.
“If we do this right, we will see a significant multiplier effect: creating employment; raising rural incomes; increasing food security; boosting exports and eventually growing our economy.”
He lauded EABL for the production of Senator Keg which he said is affordable and has since helped in taming the resumption of illicit brews.
Menezes on his part lauded Jubilee administration for creating a conducive environment where investors can place their money in.
He also said that the new plant will transform many livelihoods.
“We are delighted to be here today to take on this major project that will positively transform livelihoods,” he said.