Siaya Town Looks for a New Path to Growth

By Jack Ohito, DevReporter, Siaya County

“I am a resident of Siaya, and it is saddening that even though we are at the county headquarters, shops in the Central Business District (CBD) are already closing by 6 p.m.,” says George Onyala, an elderly resident of Siaya Township Location.

Siaya’s economy has recorded growth, but average individual income remains low, at roughly half the national average. The county relies heavily on subsistence farming and fishing, leaving many residents dependent on highly competitive, low-margin retail businesses. The historical lack of manufacturing industries has also contributed to capital flowing to nearby Kisumu.

To boost household incomes, the county is increasingly focusing on agro-processing and value addition, with a target of creating 20,000 new jobs annually across value chains.
According to national data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Siaya’s Gross County Product (GCP) per capita stands at approximately KSh 151,968, about half the national average. This reflects the county’s economic challenges compared with more industrialised and heavily urbanised counties.

However, concerns about the pace of development are increasingly being raised by residents and businesspeople who believe Siaya has yet to realise its full economic potential.

Madam Persila Yvone, a businesswoman from Bondo Sub-County, says she is concerned about Siaya’s slow growth compared with smaller towns such as Bondo and Ugunja.

“People in Siaya Town are not development-conscious. For example, they chased away investors. The most recent example is the closure of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology branch. These students could have rented houses and bought goods and services within the town, helping to expand businesses. Dominion Farms in Kadenge is also not functioning. This company could have employed many people,” she says.

The concerns touch on issues at the heart of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8, which promotes decent work and economic growth, and SDG 9, which focuses on infrastructure, industrialisation and innovation.

For Siaya, better infrastructure, increased investment and a stronger local economy could create opportunities for young people while supporting traders and small businesses.

Kenya Vision 2030 also identifies infrastructure development, economic growth and improved access to services as important drivers of national transformation. At the local level, residents say these ambitions need to translate into visible improvements in roads, markets, business activity and employment opportunities.

During his Nyanza tour on September 15, 2026, President William Ruto commissioned the Sirembe–Siaya–Yimbo Road, a project expected to improve connectivity between parts of Gem, Alego Usonga and Bondo, including the Usenge area.

Paul Ochieng, a bodaboda rider in Siaya Town, is optimistic that improved connectivity will benefit small-scale traders and other businesses.

“Expanding road networks in Siaya, building a stadium and improving markets will help us attract more people to the town. More importantly, good roads will ease the transportation of goods,” he says.

For traders, better roads are not simply about convenience. They can determine how quickly agricultural produce reaches markets, how much transport costs and how easily customers and suppliers move between towns.

Samuel Otieno, a teacher who operates a private school in Siaya Town, says the limited circulation of money within the local economy affects businesses and households.

“Parents cannot afford to pay school fees on time, but once the stadium, roads and markets are completed, I believe things will be different,” he says.

His concerns point to another development challenge: how infrastructure investment can stimulate economic activity, improve household incomes and strengthen local businesses.

“The expansion of infrastructure increases market-based opportunities,” he adds.

The 2010 Constitution of Kenya, particularly Article 174, outlines the objectives of devolution, including promoting social and economic development and providing easily accessible services. Article 10 also identifies public participation, equity, inclusiveness and sustainable development among the national values and principles of governance.

For Siaya residents, therefore, development is not merely about having the county headquarters located in the town. It is about translating that status into tangible opportunities, infrastructure, investment, jobs and better services.

President William Ruto’s recent development tour of Siaya County has brought renewed attention to infrastructure upgrades and investments intended to unlock the local economy. Through development projects associated with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the national government is targeting some of the structural challenges that have historically constrained household incomes in the county.

“The Government of Kenya has budgeted a historic KSh 60 billion for Siaya County to improve roads, markets, housing and hospitals,” President Ruto says.

As new roads and public facilities take shape, residents will be watching to see whether these projects can transform Siaya from an administrative centre into a more vibrant economy where businesses stay open longer, young people find opportunities and development is felt in everyday life.