President Uhuru Kenyatta hosted leaders from the greater Kisii on Thursday to discuss development in the region ahead of this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations.
The national celebrations will be held at Kisii Stadium in Kisii County and Thursday’s meeting gave the Head of State an opportunity to, jointly with the region’s leadership evaluate the progress of national government development initiatives.
Led by Governor James Ongwae (Kisii County) and his Nyamira County counterpart John Nyagarama, the leaders engaged the President at State House, Nairobi in a detailed conversation on several projects including roads, water supply, education and fresh produce markets among others.
In a memorandum presented by Governor Ongwae, the leaders who included chairman of the Kisii professionals John Simba and chairman of the community’s council of elders James Matundura, thanked the Head of State for the various development programs initiated by the Jubilee administration in the region.
The leaders listed several key roads, water works including the upgrading of Kisii water supply system, hospitals and fresh produce markets at Daraja Mbili and Nyakoe as some of the Government’s projects that are helping uplift the economic wellbeing of the greater Kisii.
At the same time, the Kisii leaders requested the President who was accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Fred Matiang’i (Interior), James Macharia (Infrastructure) and Mutahi Kagwe (Health) to fast track the implementation of ongoing projects.
Rehabilitation of the Kisii to Sotik road and Suneka airstrip, waiving of coffee factory debts amounting to Sh650 million and establishing a soapstone value addition facility in the area as some of the projects the leaders asked the Government to prioritize.
The Kisii leaders also cautioned politicians engaged in divisive politics saying those spreading hate and sowing division among Kenyans are not welcome in their region. “We intend to maintain the statehood of this country together, the way you’re doing it. We intend to put this nation together so that generation after generation will have a place where to stay unperturbed by anybody.
“If somebody wants leadership, let him go ask from people in a polite way, not in this manner, first of all defying you,” Kisii Senator Prof Sam Ongeri said. In his address to the leaders, the President said he wants to be remembered more for uniting the country saying the BBI process is aimed at achieving cohesion and inclusion for greater national equity.
Once again, the President cautioned political leaders against pre-mature campaigns saying they are polarizing the nation and derailing the country’s development agenda.
On Mashujaa Day, the Head of State said the reason for devolving the celebrations to the Counties was so as to give Kenyans across the country an opportunity to feel they are part of national progress.
“If truly we want to start making Kenyans feel that they are part and parcel, it is good to move this event (Mashujaa Day) around the country,” the President said as he thanked Kisii leaders for agreeing to host the national event.
The Head of State thanked the leaders for their steadfastness in support of his administration’s development agenda and assured them of his commitment to ensure all ongoing projects in the region are concluded.
Cabinet Secretaries Dr Fred Matiang’i, Mutahi Kagwe and James Macharia also spoke at the meeting.
Matiang’i reiterated the Government’s commitment to see through all development programs in the region while Macharia proposed a joint leaders and Government officials visit to the region to audit the progress of infrastructure projects ahead of Mashujaa Day.
