President Uhuru Kenyatta says Narasha residents should benefit from Kengen project

By Antony Gitonga

 NAIVASHA, KENYA: President Uhuru Kenyatta has said communities living near natural resources in the country will be the first to benefit from revenue generated.

The President said it would be unfair for other communities to benefit from the end product yet the people next to the resources were suffering.

In reference to geothermal power in Naivasha, Uhuru challenged Kengen to make sure communities living around benefited from power.

“For instance the energy generated here at KenGen should be utilized by the locals first before it is sent to other parts of the country,” said Uhuru.

He added: “By so doing, the public will also feel the importance of the resources obtained from their local areas and will help spread out the countries resources.”

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The president further said that the move would attract investors to the local areas and consequently open up job opportunities for the people.

Speaking at Olkaria in Naivasha, President Uhuru said that the country is endowed with many natural resources which constitute the country’s wealth.

He said that before the resources are distributed to other parts of the country, the locals in the natural resource rich areas should fully benefit first.

 “When investors come to the local places, local people will definitely get a source of livelihood. Additionally with everyone busy at work, there will be no time for fights among the communities living together at all,” said the Head of State.

“I urge the various government departments to think along the same line of spreading out the country’s wealth for Kenyans to feel the importance of our natural resources and also feel involved in the government’s undertakings,” he added.

President Uhuru who was accompanied by his deputy William Ruto and other top government officials was speaking during a peace meeting at the embattled 3000 land at Olkaria in Naivasha.