Deputy President William Ruto on Friday said he would not be distracted from spreading the development agenda. During his tour of Kuria, Migori County, Mr Ruto said that his mission is to ensure the ‘Big Four Agenda’ is realised. “My mission is to ensure the government fulfils the agenda, which is geared towards improving the livelihoods of all Kenyans. This is why I am here today,” he said. He urged politicians to work towards bringing development to the people. Political critics of Mr Ruto have accused him of going around the country campaigning for his 2022 presidential ambitions in the name of launching development projects. He however defended himself, maintaining that he is serving Kenyans.
“The time for politics ended last year. It is time for development and service delivery to the people of Kenya. This should be the agenda for every politician. Let those traversing the country, talking 2022 campaigns to focus on serving the people,” Mr Ruto said.
INFRASTRUCTURE
During the tour, Mr Ruto announced that the government has set aside Sh200 million to build and equip technical training institutes at Mabera in Kuria West and Kendege in Kuria East.
According to him, the government will pay Sh30,000 fees for students besides accessing loans from the Higher Education Loans Board. “We want our youth to get skills and knowledge to be self-reliant. That is why we have embarked on the construction of the technical institutes at Mabera and Kendege. These institutions will go a long way in arming our youth with skills.” He also announced the tarmacking of several roads in Kuria – including the Isibania-Ikerege-Kehancha, Kehancha-Kegonga-Ntimaru-Gwitembe and Kehancha-Lolgorian-Narok.
“These roads are in line with the infrastructural development, which is a key item of the Big Four Agenda,” Mr Ruto said. Besides, he pledged Sh200 million to build and equip Kegonga and Ntimaru sub-county hospitals in Kuria East. “When we took over this government, only 8,000 people were connected to electricity. Now, through our last mile programme, over 40,000 people in Migori have electricity.”
EDUCATION
Mr Ruto added that the government will continue giving out monthly stipends to the elderly people. “We want our elderly people to feel part of the society. The government has set aside Sh2 billion for monthly stipend for elderly in the society.” He called on the Kuria community to shun cattle rustling and female genital mutilation and take their children to school.
“I know there is a problem here in Kuria. You must stop these issues of FGM and cattle rustling as they are detrimental to development in this region. You people pay taxes to fund education in this country yet you don’t take your children to school. Why do you educate other people’s children?” he appealed. He added that the government will not relent in the ongoing disarmament exercise meant to improve security in the region. The Mr Ruto spoke when he officially opened Kegonga police division and Constituencies Development Fund offices in Kuria East.
SUPPORT RUTO’S BID
He also gave out 100 motorcycles to boda boda operators in Kegonga and held a funds drive for women and youth groups in Kuria West. He was accompanied by Kuria East MP Marwa Kitayama Maisori, Kuria West MP Mathias Robi and former Kuria East MP Shadrack Manga, among other leaders. While Mr Ruto steered clear of 2022 politics, the Kuria politicians who accompanied him vowed to rally the Kuria community in supporting Mr Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid.
“Kuria will support the DP as president in 2022 as he has stood with community. His development record in this region is known. Let that person of riddles keep off this region as Kuria is fully behind the DP,” Mr Kitayama said. Mr Robi said: “ODM has no place in Kuria region. This region is fully in Jubilee and will support DP for presidency in 2022.”