Row on Mwea land escalates as MCAs target it for Chinese village

What you need to know:

  • The Ward Reps said they would present a petition to help set up a place where visiting Chinese investors, engineers and tourists travelling to Kenya can visit and feel at home.
  • The Chinese Village will be equipped with infrastructure where people can learn Chinese culture, complete with Chinese infrastructure and botanical gardens, which will give them a comfortable feeling while they are in the country.

The quest for the now controversial 54,000 acre Mwea settlement scheme in Mbeere South, Embu County has intensified after Embu MCAs sought 100-acres ostensibly to start a Chinese Village.

The Ward Reps said they would present a petition to help set up a place where visiting Chinese investors, engineers and tourists travelling to Kenya can visit and feel at home.

Led by County Assembly Speaker Kariuki Mate, the MCAs said the move would also boost tourism.

The Chinese Village will be equipped with infrastructure where people can learn Chinese culture, complete with Chinese infrastructure and botanical gardens, which will give them a comfortable feeling while they are in the country.

The proposed Chinese village will come with a china-styled recreational park.

Mr Mate said the Embu County Government needed to diversify its revenue raising measures, saying that the creation of the Chinese village would earn the county millions in foreign exchange.

He spoke at the assembly after MCAs adopted resolutions contained in a report by a seven-member committee that visited China in May.

The report states that Embu County would also accord Kenyans the chance to consume Chinese culture in the country.

Mr Mate said assembly would also be pursuing the establishment of an African Tourism Centre in Zhenjiang Municipality where Embu cultural heritage and artefacts would be showcased to market Embu County in China.

He said they planned to send Embu and Mbeere cultural dancers and exhibitors to showcase their talent and rich ethnic heritage.

Supporting the motion, Nthawa MCA Ngari Makenge called the County Government to improve facilities and infrastructure at the Kangaru Youth Polytechnic to become a centre for training of local chefs in the Chinese cuisine to serve the Kenyan hotel industry.

Nominated MCA James Kathendu called for the establishment of a linguistic institute.