Restless Mt Kenya? President Ruto tours central to launch projects

President WIlliam Ruto in Kitengela, Kajiado County, September 2020. [DPPS]

Agriculture, infrastructure, health, and education, among other sectors, are expected to dominate during President William Ruto’s tour of Mt Kenya starting today.

The Head of State will visit Nyeri County, where he will launch various development projects during his five-day tour in the region.

Speaking to the press at the Sagana State Lodge, State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed said during the tour, Ruto will launch projects in line with the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda, (BETA).

“In his five-day tour, the president will address issues on lowering the high cost of living, creation of jobs, expanding tax pays, eradicating hunger, and improving livelihoods,” he said.

He added that the water projects the President will launch are in line with the government’s water storage programme, which aims to construct 100 mega-dams that will connect over six million new households to clean water.

“The government aims to construct 100 mega dams, 100 million water pans, and 400 small dams to connect Kenyans to clean and safe water,” he said.

Mohamed said the government has distributed 454,168 bags of fertiliser to farmers in Mt Kenya region at a cost of Sh1.5 billion, covering various value chains.

“On Wednesday the President launched the second phase of the subsidised fertiliser programme ahead of the short rain season. A bag of fertiliser now retails at Sh l2,500 from Sh7,000. Over 3.5 million bags have been distributed across the country,” he said.

The Statehouse spokesperson also said the President will witness the groundbreaking of the affordable housing programme in Gichugu, Kirinyaga County.

“This project entails the construction of 140 house units, and in Thika, he will also witness another groundbreaking which will provide 975 units with 20 per cent reserved for civil servants,” he said.

The five-day tour will begin on Saturday morning with a road trip from Nairobi, marked by stop-overs in Githurai and Kenol.

At Kagio Trading Centre, the President is expected to open a water project before interacting with residents at Baricho in Kirinyaga County.

In Karatina, he will commission the Marua-State Lodge Road which will ease the movement of goods and services and spur growth in the area.

On Sunday, Ruto will be at the State Lodge Sagana for an interdenominational prayer service.