Nairobi — Public buildings destroyed during the post-election violence will be rehabilitated at a cost of Sh153.6 million.

Nyanza provincial works officer Stephen Koge on Friday said that the money, a loan from World Bank, would benefit buildings in Rift Valley and Nyanza provinces.

The Public Works Ministry is preparing the bids and its architects are studying the building to establish the extent of the damage to be repaired.

He was speaking in his office after receiving a delegation of local leaders, including Nyanza provincial commissioner Paul Olando.

The PC said the time had come to begin the reconstruction of Kisumu town to erase the memories of the chaos.

"These burnt down buildings are the face of violence in Kisumu and we need to rebuild them," he said.

He also urged business leaders to stop talking about the losses they suffered at the height of the violence and instead focus on rebuilding their businesses. He appealed to insurance companies to speed up reviewing of claims filed by the businessmen.

The PC's office has been compiling a list of small businesses which were adversely affected by the violence.

Assistance

Their owners will get financial assistance alongside each household that was also affected. Each will receive Sh10,000 from the Government.

In a related development, the chairman of the Western Kenya branch of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Mr Fidel Muasya, urged the Government to consider exempting the affected traders from paying tax.

"This will allow them to channel the resources towards reconstructing their businesses," he said.