President Uhuru Kenyatta landed in Nakuru County with a bag of goodies to woo the bedrock of their support in Rift Valley.
The President, who was accompanied by his Deputy William Ruto, unveiled a series of billion shilling projects during the two-day tour of the vast voter rich region.
On the first day of the visit, the two leaders commissioned two merger road projects worth over Sh23 billion in Molo and Nakuru town. The two leaders commissioned construction of three interchanges at Nyahururu-Njoro turnoff and Mau summit junction.
At some point, Uhuru and Ruto travelled by road to Molo town where they commissioned rehabilitation of Molo–Olenguruone Road.
The road, which serves farmers from Kuresoi South and North constituencies had been rendered impassable for a while with residents accusing the Government of neglecting them.
Kuresoi South MP Zakayo Cheruiyot, welcomed the initiative saying it would boost farmers.
“The road is an important link for farmers because it aids them access markets for their produce. The road had been neglected for long,” he said.
On the second day, President Uhuru held a closed-door meeting at State House, Nakuru with more than 500 area leaders.
The delegation was led by Governor Kinuthia Mbugua, Senators Martha Wangare and Liza Chelule together with seven MPs and County Speaker Susan Kihika.
Governor Mbugua was forced to cut short his trip to Netherlands on Tuesday to welcome the President. He told the President that the land set aside for the airport was still available and urged him to fast track the construction.
Ms Wangare asked the President to address the issue of dilapidated roads in Gilgil constituency and water shortage.
Wangari added that even though the health sector has been devolved, the county still needs the help of the National Government to improve facilities in hospitals especially the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital.
President Uhuru called on local leaders to address perennial land conflicts in Naivasha and Njoro.
Earlier, Bahati MP Kimani Ngungiri had indicated that title deed holders were being harassed by invaders.
Matters politics
As expected, the President also rallied the county to support his 2017 re-election campaigns.
He assured the residents that he would not abandon his deputy even after the 2017 General Election because he has to fulfill the 2013 pre-election agreement that was born at Nakuru’s Afraha Stadium.
The county voted overwhelmingly for President Uhuru — receiving 494,239 votes against CORD Raila Odinga’s 105,660 votes.
Before making his way to Nakuru, President Kenyatta visited Eldama Ravine in Baringo County where he commissioned the Chemususu Dam.
After the leaders’ meeting at State House, the President toured the Rift Valley General Hospital where he delivered medical equipment worth Sh725 million under the Medical Equipment Lease Scheme.
This programme is a partnership between the county and the national governments, which will see the 47 counties receive state-of-art medical equipment. The equipment include an intensive care unit, theatre, a renal unit and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The renal unit has 49 dialysis centres and can handle 2,500 patients. Using the MRI machine will cost residents only Sh10,000 as compared to the normal Sh40,000.
The renal unit also received an additional establishment of five units, increasing the total dialysis units to 16, serving an average of 30 patients per day.
President Uhuru further announced that Naivasha Sub-County hospital will benefit with equipment worth Sh380 million.
He also pledged the revival of the collapse pyrethrum sector but urged local leaders to come up with strategies on how the Government can help revive the sector.
The President said the commencement on the three inter-changes was part of the first phase of the 2,000km of road construction project countrywide.
He said the Mauche-Olenguruone Road, which is part of the first phase would be launched in a few days.
Phase two of the roads project that would be factored in the next financial year, will cover the Kasarani-Kiambogo-OlJorai–Kimabogo-Lanet Road. Six kilometres of road that connects Nakuru town to Baruti via Ngambo would also be tarmacked.
The President said 709 primary and secondary schools in Nakuru County have already been connected to the national grid while 34 remaining ones will be done soon.
“When we took over in 2013, only 146, 000 households had electricity in Nakuru since independence but within three years of this administration 130,000 homes have been connected to electricity,” he said.
He added the government will revive projects initiated under the National Youth Service in Gilgil, Subukia, Nakuru Town East and Nakuru Town West following plea from local leaders.
The President also announced that Sh500 million will be disbursed to five constituencies for construction of technical training colleges.
Another key project that have received funding from the national government is the ongoing exploration of geothermal energy in Nakuru’s Menengai crater and Olkaria in Naivasha.
