CSs tour Western as Uhuru orders stalled projects revived, completed
Yusuf Masibo
Four Cabinet Secretaries on Monday toured Bungoma County and announced that all stalled projects, including the ailing Nzoia Sugar factory, will be revived.
The four, led by Roads and Infrastructure CS James Macharia, said the projects would be revived as a reward to the region for supporting the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga.
The CSs who also included Eugene Wamalwa (Devolution), John Munyes (Petroleum), Peter Munya (Agriculture) and Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka said they had been instructed by President Kenyatta to ensure projects are revived and completed.
“Because of the unity of your leaders and their support of handshake, we have come here to ensure that projects, which include roads, are completed,” said Transport CS Macharia.
He said the projects include the Misikhu-Brigadier and the Musikoma-Buyofu roads which have stalled for the last two three years.
He said the national government had already disbursed Sh700 millions shillings for the completion of the Misikhu-Brigadier road which was started by the county government of Bungoma.
Speaking at Naitiri, Macharia said the road, which was started by Lusaka requires Sh500 million but the government released Sh700 million to ensure its duly completed.
Disbursed cash
He further said the Musikoma-Buyofu road had stalled because of the contractor and promised to replace him if he will not complete it on time.
“The national government has agreed to partner with the county government to tarmac the road which had stalled half way,’’ said Macharia.
The CS lauded the unity of western region leaders saying it is the main reason the government has embarked on fulfilling the promises it had made in the region.
Wamalwa on his part said as western region leaders, their engagement with the national government was purely on development basis and not politics.
Financially crippled
He announced factories in the region that are financially crippled will all be aided by the state so as to revamp the region’s economy.
He said that Sh220 million has been set aside to revamp the Kitale airstrip in Trans Nzoia County and the Kakamega airstrip.
CS Wamalwa thanked the president for fulfilling the promise he made while visiting the region.
He noted that the development experienced in the region calls for committed leaders and good working relationship with the government of the day and called upon all governors in the region to ensure that all government projects are completed regardless of the leadership and political affiliation since the projects are meant to serve mwananchi.
Wamalwa noted that they would also inspect other projects in the region including challenges affecting Nzoia, Mumias and Panpaper milling factories.
He said they would also visit Uwanja Ndege in Trans Nzoia county where the national government has allocated Sh220 million to renovate the airport.
Speaking at the Nzoia Sugar company, Munya said the government had waived off the Sh11 billion the company owes it so that it can be leased out to potential investors.
‘’For Nzoia problems to be solved once and for all, we need to lease it and that is why we have waived the debt to attract the investors,” he said.
Nzoia Sugar
Munya who was accompanied by governors Wycliffe Wangamati (Bungoma), Patrick Khaemba (Trans Nzoia) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) asked local leaders not to politicise the leasing of the factory.
He said the government will look for an investor who has the interests of both the farmers and workers.
‘’We are not leasing this factory to a broker, we shall look for a serious investor, so don’t panic,’’ Munya assured.
Munyes asked local leaders to put aside political differences and unite for the sake of the region’s development. He asked some of the local leaders to stop politics of propaganda and support the government of day the to deliver on its agenda.
