Nakuru in first sister deal with US county

Nakuru County Governor Kinuthia Mbugua (right) with North Carolina State Capitol Chief of Staff Thomas Stith at Governor Patt McCrory’s office, in the United States. Mr Mbugua is on one-week tour of the States. [PHOTO: COURTESY]

Nakuru County and North Carolina State in USA are set to sign a sister-state agreement to partner in research, education and investments.

The move followed a meeting held between Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua, who is on a one-week tour of the US, and several institutions in the State.

The agreement will provide the legal basis for partnering and utilisation of one another's best practices in research, technical assistance, development, education and investments, among others.

The county delegation has been exploring various ways of engaging their counterparts in investment, university to university partnerships, agriculture, economic co-operation and research, especially on cancer.

The institutions targeted for cooperation include North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and North Carolina Central University, which is a leading research centre in the world.

"We will tap into these resources we have been presented with and I believe this will transform into development for Nakuru County. We are very impressed by the opportunities which we think are vital for our development agenda in Nakuru County," the governor said.

Mbugua said that the partnership will also result in improved standards of living for the people of Nakuru County.

The governor said the agreement will also provide a forum for economic development, international trade and increased global understanding.

Mbugua assured the hosts that Nakuru County will facilitate their entry into Kenya by hosting a North Carolina outreach office in Nakuru.

Governor Mbugua was hosted at the North Carolina State Capitol where he met the Chief of Staff Thomas Stith who represented the state's Governor, Patt McCrory.

The institutions involved will liaise with their respective government offices to formalise and implement the issues discussed.

Mbugua and the Nakuru County delegation later met with the President of Johnson C. Smith University, Ronald Carter in Charlotte, where they discussed how the county and the university could work together.

The governor is accompanied by his wife Lucia, Speaker of the County Assembly Susan Kihika, County Executives Francis Mathea (Finance), Rachel Maina (Lands and Housing), County Secretary Joseph Motari, Chief Officer Trade and Industrialisation Edith Kimani, Naivasha Viwandani MCA Eunice Wambui and County Economic Advisor David Muthoga.

The visit seems to have achieved objectives the county delegation set when they left the country. Officials on the trip said they were going to seek 'tangible and practical" opportunities that will improve the lives of Nakuru people.

"The governor had a purpose of ensuring that real commitment for business is obtained," said Richard Tuta, one of the governor's advisers noting that Nakuru is one of the first counties to partner with foreigners on development issues.