Alfred Mutua: It’s time to unite to build Machakos

By James Mbaka

Residents of Machakos county will soon not require to travel long distances to seek treatment. This comes after the county government announced an ambitious project to transform health care across the region through full-board mini-community health centres.

The county Governor, Dr Alfred Mutua, says his government intends to construct fully-equiped modern health centres with state-of-the-art maternity wings, theatre rooms and Intensive Care units in all 70 locations.

Machakos County has developed a comprehensive plan to improve security in all regions, through the purchase of additional 140 police vehicles for all police stations and patrol bases and construction of police housing units at a cost of Sh300 million.

 Efforts boosted

Security officers in the county will also have their efforts in the fight against crime boosted in a new plan to install Closed Circuit Televisions (CCTVs) along major roads at a cost of Sh100 million.

“Security is imperative in creating necessary conducive environment for business to thrive and unleashing the investment potential of Machakos,” he said.

The governor who spoke to The Standard On Sunday also said he was committed to addressing the perennial hunger problem in the region through provision of free seeds and fertilisers to farmers.

In addressing hunger, the governor also plans to provide water to every household in four years at a cost of Sh1 billion.

The governor said he intends to transform the drought-prone county into a hub of investment in Kenya through provision of land to potential investors to create 100,000 jobs for the unemployed youth.

Within three years

This, he said, will be ready within three years. Mutua, however, regretted that such a vision would remain an illusion without political goodwill. He appealed to the political leaders from the region to join hands in the interest of development.

“These things cannot happen unless MPs, MCAs and other politicians put aside their political differences and forge a common development agenda,” he warned. Already eight elected MPs from Machakos County have thrown their weight behind his development agenda.

The MPs, in a statement to newsrooms, said they had resolved to work together in the interest of improving the livelihoods of the people of Machakos irrespective of the political affiliations. “This is not a time for division, but for unity. Any leader trying to divide us is doomed to fail. We will not allow ourselves to be divided. We are from various political parties but united in support of the development of our people,” they pledged.

On Friday, Dr Mutua met Standard Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sam Shollei in his Machakos office.