NASA has nothing to offer, says Uhuru Kenyatta as he starts Coast tour

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto launch the construction of Garsen-Witu-Lamu road. [Photo: PSCU]

President Uhuru Kenyatta has asked Coast residents to reject the National Super Alliance at the polls at the start of his tour of the region.

Uhuru, who was accompanied by his deputy William Ruto, was in the region to launch projects and issue title deeds. Speaking in Witu Thursday, Uhuru said the Opposition lacked an agenda for the country and criticised its leadership for practising divisive politics.

Uhuru said NASA leaders failed to deliver to Kenyans during their reign in past governments and said the Jubilee government had transformed many parts of the country in just four years.

“The total years Kalonzo, Mudavadi, Wetang’ula and Raila were in government are about 100 compared to seven that Ruto and I have served. Let them show Kenyans what they did then," said Uhuru.

The President and his deputy were addressing residents of Witu in Lamu County where they commissioned the construction of the 80-kilometre Witu-Lamu road. He said three kilometres in Mokoe and 19 kilometres in Mpeketoni would be tarmacked.

Uhuru said Opposition leaders had not spelt out their agenda for the country and were only "giving Kenyans stories" and sowing seeds of hatred and division among Kenyans. He announced that a railway line would be constructed to link Lamu and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) that connects Mombasa and Nairobi.

"This road we are commissioning today has never been tarmacked since the creation of the world. Can they (NASA) tell us what they did about it?" asked Uhuru.

He said the Jubilee administration was in the business of transforming the country and the lives of Kenyans and that it would not be distracted by the Opposition.

He later issued title deeds to squatters and promised to give more in Lamu next month. The President pledged additional relief food for hungry residents and asked school heads not to send pupils home for lack of school fees.

"The head teachers should know that even the capitation we send to them is money from the same parents whose students they are sending away for lack of fees. Our children must remain in class to learn," said Uhuru.

He said the Government would distribute food to all schools in hunger-stricken areas and directed that security be beefed up in schools where learning had been affected by wildlife invasion. Learning in several schools has been affected following increased attacks by marauding buffaloes searching for water after Lake Kenyatta dried up.

Ruto accused the Opposition of spreading propaganda about Jubilee's record and said in 2013, only 15,000 residents had access to power while 45,000 were now connected to mains electricity. Lamu Governor Issa Timamy lauded Jubilee's record and said: "Those who have eyes can see what the Government has done."

Lamu is Jubilee's stronghold in Coast out of six counties. In the 2013 elections, Uhuru visited Lamu five times to campaign. In the afternoon, the two leaders flew to Kilifi to launch the Malindi-Salagate road. The two are expected to tour Taita Taveta County where they will receive defectors from the Opposition.