Deputy President Kithure Kindiki./DPCS
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has stepped up his development-focused engagements in Mt Kenya, highlighting billions of shillings in development.
The DP singled out roads, electricity, housing and market projects as he seeks to demonstrate the government’s investment in the region.
Speaking to residents at Chaka in Kieni Constituency, Nyeri County, on Friday, Kindiki said the government was implementing a wide range of projects aimed at improving infrastructure, boosting household incomes and creating employment opportunities.
He said 775 kilometres of roads were being tarmacked across Nyeri County at a cost of Sh45 billion, while affordable housing projects, fresh produce markets and student hostels worth a combined Sh17 billion were at various stages of construction.
“Affordable Housing projects, fresh produce markets and student hostel beds at a combined value of 17 billion shillings are at various stages of construction with some complete, and more projects worth 5 billion shillings are in the pipeline, “he said.
Another Sh5 billion worth of projects, he said, were in the pipeline. Kindiki said the government was also preparing to improve trading facilities for small-scale traders in several parts of the county, including Nyeri Town, Mathira, Othaya, Mukurweini, Tetu, Endarasha, Naro Moru and Kiawara.
The Deputy President also pointed to electricity expansion as part of the government’s development agenda, saying Sh650 million had been allocated to connect an additional 12,000 households to the national grid.
Kieni Constituency is set to receive Sh364 million of the allocation to connect 5,000 additional households. Kindiki further linked the government’s agricultural interventions to efforts to increase earnings for farmers, citing reductions in the prices of fertiliser, maize seed and sexed semen.
He said the price of a bag of fertiliser had fallen from Sh7,000 to Sh2,000, while maize seed had dropped from Sh300 to Sh150 per kilogramme.
The price of sexed semen, he said, had also fallen from Sh8,000 to Sh1,400 per dose. He added that improved prices for milk and coffee were contributing to higher household incomes.
The Deputy President also highlighted employment opportunities being created through construction projects, recruitment of teachers and public officers, security services, overseas job placement programmes and digital jobs through Jitume labs and ICT hubs.
Kindiki’s Nyeri tour comes as he continues a series of development-focused visits across the Mt Kenya region, where he has increasingly placed infrastructure delivery and the government’s economic programmes at the centre of his public engagements.
He was accompanied by Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga, Kieni MP Njoroge Wainaina, Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi, Othaya MP Wambugu Wainaina, Energy PS Alex Wachira and other leaders.
