Governor Waiguru ask MCAs to facilitate implementation of development projects

Kirinyaga County Governor Anne Waiguru has asked Members of County Assembly (MCA) to play their oversight roles as envisioned in the constitution while at the same time facilitating implementation of development projects. Speaking during her inaugural speech at the 3rd County Assembly, Waiguru expressed confidence that the two arms of the county government – the executive and the assembly – were going to work together to ensure seamless service delivery to the county residents.

While congratulating the MCAs on their election to the assembly, Waiguru said that the county residents had faith in their ability to lead the county through a transformational journey. “The People of Kirinyaga have given us their vote of confidence in the just concluded general elections. I proudly stand here today to say that we will not fail them”, she said. She asked the MCAs keep in mind, the oath that they took upon admission to the county assembly was a call to them to represent and advance the greater public good. She noted that the public was highly expectant that the leaders they elected were going to deliver to them the Bottom-Up promise.

Governor Waiguru, who has since been elected as the Chairperson of Council of Governors (COG), called for harmonious working relationship between MCAs and the executive so as to enable county government achieve its objectives. “We will soon be presenting various bills and policies for legislation and approval, and I appeal to you to be facilitators of policies that will help in addressing various socio-economic challenges of our county,” said the governor.

Governor Waiguru highlighted the development milestones that her administration had achieved in her last term in office in various sectors of development. She enumerated various projects implemented through Wezesha Kirinyaga program to empower farmers to increase agricultural productivity in order to make more money. The health sector was also highlighted as one of the sectors in which the county government had heavily invested in, the construction of Kerugoya Level Five Hospital complex which is set to revolutionize health service delivery in the county, being the flagship project. She outlined her five years development plan including expansion of the Wezesha Kirinyaga program, water connection, modernization of towns, health sector reforms and expansion of facilities among others.

In agriculture, she said that the Wezesha Kirinyaga empowerment program will be expanded to include more households who will be supported to undertake projects such as poultry, tomato, avocado, and fish farming and bee keeping among others. “To boost the production capacity of our Kiaga animal feeds factory, the county has set aside budget to install two semi-dual automatic machines with capacity of producing 310 bags of 70kg per day. This in addition to the current 110 bags per day. This will improve dairy farmers’ access to quality and subsidized animal feeds. She added the county government will support the dairy cooperatives to process and package their milk in order to improve market access hence fetch more money for the farmers.

To boost the coffee sector, the County Government will install modern eco-pulping machines for cherry processing and coffee drying beds for seven coffee cooperative societies. Waiguru also told the MCAs that the county government is fast-tracking the process of distributing the 25,000 bags of subsidized fertilizers that the county has received from the national government.

To further support farmers in marketing of their produced, the governor said that in addition to the 15 markets that her administration had put up, another four markets will be constructed in this financial year in Kibirigwi, Riakiani, Kimbimbi and Togonye. Other areas of development that the governor highlighted include, road construction, water, and issuance of title deeds to residents of Kibirigwi villages, as well as education and youth empowerment.