Coast residents to reap more from President Uhuru's extended visit

Residents of the Coast region will reap more from President Uhuru Kenyatta's extended stay in the region.

President Kenyatta has been at the Coast, regarded as an Opposition zone, for the last 19 days.

And Wednesday, the President's spokesman Manoah Esipisu enumerated the goodies that had been dished out to Coast residents during the President's visit.

According to State House, about 9,080 title deeds had been issued while 16,614 more will be issued in the coming days.

Mr Esipisu said 4,073 title deeds were issued last week in Lamu County and 5,007 out of the 7,807 title deeds for the Waitiki farm in Mombasa were given to the beneficiaries last Saturday.

He said 8,939 title deeds for Kwale, 5,121 for Taita Taveta and 2,554 for Kilifi counties were also ready and will also be issued in the coming days or weeks.

"All this is in line with the Jubilee manifesto on land. It also goes to affirm the President's position that he will provide the land answer to the land question not only at the Coast, but across the entire country," he said.

He said the Jubilee administration had already issued 2.3 million title deeds across the country as it strives to meet its pledge of issuing 3 million title deeds in its first term in office.

Highlighting President Uhuru's achievements in one of the longest stays in the region, Esipisu said the President will Friday launch the national street lighting programme.

He said the Government will spend Sh380 million on street lighting in major urban centres in Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale counties.

"Under this programme here in Mombasa, the Mombasa CBD, Old Town, Nyali, Likoni, Majengo, Bondeni, Mbaraki, Changamwe and Kongowea will be lit at a cost of Sh224 million. Elsewhere, the streets of Malindi, Watamu, Timboni and Gede in Kilifi County will be lit at a cost of Sh94 million. In Kwale County, Ukunda, Diani and Tiwi will have street lights installed by the national government at a cost of Sh62 million," said Esipisu.

Other towns to be lit under the 'Mwangaza Mtaani' programme is Nairobi, Kisumu, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nyeri, Kiambu and West Pokot.

Next Monday, President Kenyatta is expected to launch the Baricho Water Works in Kilifi constituency. The water project serves Malindi, Kilifi North, Magarini and Mombasa.

This comes in the wake of his commissioning of the Sh46 million Faza island-Vumbe mainland water project at Faza in Pate Island, Lamu County last Friday, which was financed by the Iranian government.

On infrastructure, President Kenyatta launched construction of the Sh2.7 billion Port Reitz/Moi International Airport access road project last Saturday.

Esipusu said the road network is the first batch of roads totalling 1,700 kilometres that will be launched before end of this month. The second batch of 1,800 kilometres will be launched in March this year.

Uhuru's spokesman said works on the Mombasa-Mariakani Highway, Dongo Kundu bypass and Mombasa Northern bypass to make them dual carriageways were on course.

Esipisu said 15 hospitals have been equipped under the Government's programme to develop two key hospitals in every county.

The President has also announced several incentives to boost tourism.