THE Chinese government has agreed to finance the construction of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission headquarters in Kisumu. LVBC executive secretary Canisius Kanangire said the constructions will cost Sh1.7 billion (20 million US dollars).

He was speaking in Kisumu, where he rolled out the 2011-2016 strategic plan. The project has been delayed for five years since the government donated the land, because of lack of funds.

"The project has taken long to take off, but I am confident the project will begin, following the Chinese funding,' said Kanangire. "We expect the work to start immediately once all the formalities are completed."

The new headquarters will be built on a 2.8 hectare piece of land along the lake shores. Currently the LBVC is housed at Re-Insurance Plaza building. He said: "The design is complete and will only require few adjustments.

"We are moving from only preparing policies and strategies to having projects and investments that are tangible in areas like infrastructure," he added.

Lake Victoria Basin Commission is a specialized institution of the East African Community (EAC) that is responsible for coordinating the sustainable development agenda of the Lake Victoria Basin.