The Government has doled out a litany of pleasant promises for Ukambani residents. Yesterday, Deputy President William Ruto, while addressing a gathering at Musila Gardens in Mwingi town in Kitui, listed a bagful of programmes worth billions of shillings meant for the region.
The DP, who was attending a fundraiser for women under the table banking programme on the invite of Mwingi Central MP Joe Mutambu, announced that the Government had set aside Sh40 billion to build mega dams in the counties of Kitui, Makueni and Machakos.
He mentioned Thwake Dam, which lies between Kitui and Makueni and whose construction is underway as one of the projects for water provision, adding that he will soon be visiting to launch the start of another mega dam in Mwingi. He also revealed that the Government had budgeted Sh4 billion for tarmacking of roads in Kitui, for instance the Kibwezi – Kitui – Mwingi road which has been a thorn in the flesh of residents for decades.
The DP also announced that both Mwingi and Kitui Level 4 Hospitals will be upgraded at a cost of Sh380 million and Sh425 million respectively by the end of this financial year and be equipped with fully functional Intensive Care Units, fitted with dialysis machines and other infrastructure to improve the healthcare.
Jibe at Opposition
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The DP said Sh3.4 billion had been set aside for electricity connection and construction of power substation to eliminate constant power outages. Sh2.2 billion will go towards connecting all local public schools with power.
He also announced that the Government has already prepared 45,000 title deeds to be issued soon.
The DP took a jibe at the Opposition and appealed to the Kamba community not to stay in “Opposition forever” and urged the community to support leaders who had shown willingness to work with the Government.
“There should be no Kenyan in the Opposition. We have only one government in whose eyes all Kenyans are equal. “Ama nyinyi mnasemaje? Mnataka kukaa tu na hao watu wa hadithi? Hizo story zao ni upuzi. (What do you say? Do you want to remain in opposition? Their stories are vanity,” he said.
Ruto’s move could be seen as a way of pacifying the region following disquiet among the residents following the perceived harassment of suspended Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu.
