Trade CS Peter Munya receives advice from Raila Odinga during meeting at Capitol Hill

Trade Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya is the latest cabinet member to have sought advise from former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on government projects.

CS Munya was on Thursday morning locked in a meeting with the special AU envoy consulting over the Kisumu Special Economic Zone as well as revival of Kisumu Cotton Mills (KICOMI).

The former PM's spokesperson, Dennis Onyango, conveyed that the consultations resulted in some advise from the handshake partner that would improve the government's plans.

Trade CS Peter Munya receives advise from Raila Odinga during meeting at Capitol Hill Pulse Live Kenya

"Mr Odinga expressed satisfaction with progress towards setting up the SEZ in Kisumu, including the acquisition of more land and efforts to rope in some of the existing industries to be part of the SEZ. He similarly appreciated work on revival of KICOMI including work undertaken to assess its current state and possible sources for funding for both projects.

"He asked the ministry to fastrack both projects in close collaboration with the county government and local institutions of higher learning.

"Mr Odinga further called on the ministry to factor in agricultural activities in addition to industries in setting up the SEZ and the revival of KICOMI," a brief from the spokesperson read in part.

Raila the new centre of power

Media reports have labelled Mr Odinga as the new centre of power in government, a claim CS Munya backed stating that it is the new "reality".

Trade CS Peter Munya receives advise from Raila Odinga during meeting at Capitol Hill Pulse Live Kenya

"People have to face the reality. There’s no need to read politics. If we are to unite the country, we should work with everyone and spread development everywhere, including areas perceived to be opposition zones," he stated in a recent interview.

According to reports, President Uhuru Kenyatta particularly assigned consultations on privatisation of sugar mills and the establishment of special economic zones in Kisumu and Mombasa to Mr Odinga.