Fredrick Odiero
The Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) on Thursday said that it had recovered part of a parcel of land belonging to the Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu which had been grabbed by unscrupulous individuals.
COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli revealed at the college during a workshop on labour migrations within the East African community that the Kisumu County government under Governor Anyang Nyong’o assisted them in the recovery of the land.
Atwoli said the three acre parcel which was recovered will be used in putting up an ultra-modern sports facility.
He said the stadium will be used to host indoor and even outdoor sports like soccer.
“The facility once completed will also be hired out to interested parties” he said.
Atwoli said the refurbishment of the college is an ongoing process and will continue into next year.
He said the renovation is expected to cost some Sh500 million upon its completion.
Atwoli said the renovation exercise is paramount since it is happening ahead of the scheduled Africities Conference which will be hosted by Kisumu County towards the end of the year.
The historic conference is expected to host some 10,000 guests from the African continent and beyond.
Atwoli says that all the halls within the college will get a major facelift, adding that funds have been sourced locally from its affiliates. He added that the college will have a total of 20 conference halls.
He further says that the college will be one of its kinds in the region once the renovation exercise is over.
The trade unionist says that the college will have a total of four presidential suites and two five-star guest houses.
Atwoli says that consultants who have been brought in are the ones who will do the renovation work.
According to Atwoli, some 2500 new chairs are at the moment in high seas for the ambitious exercise. Atwoli says that all the previous plumbing works will be replaced by new ones.
“The same will be the case with the current sewer lines” he says.
He said that all the toilets and washrooms will also be upgraded as well as new tiles, paints and new beds as bed sheets will be brought in.
Atwoli said the college will be twined to the Masinde Muliro University in Kakamega.
He said that the college once fully refurbished will be compared to the ones owned by the Coal Workers Union in South Africa and the one owned by the organization of African Trade Unions in Ghana.
Earlier Atwoli called for fast racking of free movements within the East African Community as workers should be able to move within the region freely without undue restrictions.
Atwoli blamed senior government officials for taking Kenyans to the Middle East as workers where they are either killed or mistreated.
“Most employment bureaus are run and managed by top government officials” he said, reiterating that there were many opportunities locally and urged the government to invest on creation jobs in order to curb migration of workers.
