Kisumu: Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o and the President of the World Smart Cities Forum (WSCF) Jaewon Peter Chun have challenged African governments and international partners to move beyond smart-city plans and translate their vision into projects that directly improve people’s lives. Speaking during the 2026 Africa Smart Cities Alliance (ASCA) Summit in Kisumu on Tuesday, Nyong’o, who is also the ASCA chairman, emphasized that the success of the alliance should be measured by tangible improvements in healthcare, water, sanitation, agriculture, infrastructure, and livelihoods rather than just conferences or memoranda of understanding.
According to Kenya News Agency, Nyong’o stressed that smart city development should focus on better healthcare, reliable water and sanitation, modern agriculture, food security, improved mobility and infrastructure, cleaner energy, environmental protection, digital public services, and wider economic opportunities for young people. He highlighted that a city becomes smart when it utilizes its resources, technology, and partnerships to enhance the quality of life for its residents. Nyong’o expressed Kisumu’s readiness to become a ‘living laboratory’ for a new African smart-city model, urging international partners to collaborate with local communities, universities, entrepreneurs, farmers, hospitals, and the county government.
Nyong’o also emphasized the need for local production and compounding of medicines required by cancer patients and other critically ill patients to reduce Africa’s dependency on imports. He lamented the challenges faced by Kisumu, such as healthcare, water pollution, food security, climate change, mobility, and economic development, despite its strategic location on the shores of Lake Victoria. He suggested that solutions developed in Kisumu could be tested locally and replicated across the Lake Victoria region and beyond.
Healthcare was identified as an area where international cooperation is yielding results, with the Chun Jeong-eun Nyong’o Cancer Center at Victoria Sub-County Hospital serving as an example. This center, unveiled in March, is part of an integrated cancer-care ecosystem covering prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, research, training, and long-term patient care. Nyong’o disclosed plans for a pharmaceutical facility near Kibos, which is expected to break ground soon, with funding already secured.
Nyong’o expressed his desire for ASCA to be a platform focused on implementation rather than merely holding conferences, measuring success by the initiation of pilot projects, return of investors, university research partnerships, training and employment of young people, improved community services, and enhanced patient healthcare.
Chun emphasized Kisumu’s strategic importance for Africa’s smart-city ambitions, given its location near Lake Victoria, which highlights issues such as water, waste management, and environmental protection. He defined a smart city as one where technology improves people’s lives and stressed that ASCA’s approach is based on real and implementable projects. Chun called for stronger cooperation between governments, communities, and international partners, urging delegates to identify areas for contribution and encouraging Kisumu to remain open to partnerships.
The summit, held under the theme ‘Together for a Smarter, Healthier Africa,’ brought together a business delegation from the international community alongside officials representing ASCA member sub-sovereigns. It focused on opportunities for collaborations, investments, innovation, and sustainable urban development in Africa. The summit also saw the establishment of the ASCA Regional Specialized Diagnostic Hub for Cancer and Sickle Cell Screening at Victoria Sub-County Hospital.
The Africa Smart Cities and Townships Alliance (ASCA) is a public-private partnership network initiative proposed by the World Smart Cities Forum (WSCF) to drive inclusive, technology-powered, and sustainable development across African cities, townships, and rural regions. Chaired by Kisumu County Governor Prof. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, ASCA acts as a continental hub, promoting urban cooperation and uniting over 20 African municipal and regional authorities to share a smart development framework. The organization is tasked with mobilizing investment, fostering sector-specific innovation, and prioritizing implementation in critical fields like smart healthcare, water and waste management, digital governance, renewable energy, affordable housing, and climate resilience.
