Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika together with County Commissioner Loyford Kibara and other leaders led Nakuru residents in marking 62nd Madaraka Day in Bahati Subcounty of Nakuru.
In her speech, Kihika lauded the role devolution has played in shaping the country in terms of economic growth.
“Along the way, we have encountered social, economic, intellectual, political and cultural challenges which have forced successive regimes to change tac. Among the many reforms implemented to place Kenya on her path towards economic prosperity, is the advent of devolution, which decentralized the task of development to county governments,” she stated.
Kihika pointed out that the theme of this year’s Madaraka Day commemoration—Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs—directs us to focus on unlocking the potential of our aquatic resources for sustainable development and economic transformation of our Great County.
While noting that Nakuru County is uniquely blessed with six lakes—Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Lake Elementaita, Lake Solai, Lake Oloiden and Crater Lake, making it the county with the highest number of lakes in Kenya, she stated that Fisheries play an important role in the economy of Nakuru County by providing employment, food security and income generation in addition to its significant contribution to the County GDP.
To promote fish as a value chain, Kihika was categorical that her administration has focused on the purchase and supply of fingerlings, restocking of lakes, supply of nets, boats, and other fishing gear, as well as setting up of fish hatcheries.
“While in the past we have focused on restocking lakes, for instance in the last Financial Year we spent Kshs2.5 million restocking Lake Naivasha—our largest fresh water lake—we have now shifted towards restoring the Lake Naivasha basin ecosystem with the aim of enhancing water resources, biodiversity and associated ecosystem services,” she stated.
She called for need for collaboration with fishing communities, government agencies and stakeholders, to enforce fisheries management measures and ensure long term sustainability of Lake Naivasha Fisheries.
This even as she revealed that this Financial Year, allocatiin of Kshs20 million towards the completion of the Karai Fish Market.
In addition, the County is constructing markets around Lake Naivasha to support trade in the blue economy sector.
According to Kihika, more than 700 traders across five beaches of Kamere, Karagita, Kongoni, Kasarani and Central are beneficiaries of this initiative.
“We have started witnessing the fruits of restoring Agriculture as the top income earner for our people. To boost farming, we are this year distributing a total of 7,857,156 pyrethrum seedlings to farmers; set aside Kshs 20,449,850 to support the Avocado value chain through distribution of seedlings—19,096 seedling so far distributed to 9,548 farmers; distributed 20,000 bags of maize seeds amounting to 40 tonnes to farmers across the County two months ago; and we are continuing with our last mile delivery of subsidized fertilizers to our farmers,” she said.
Meanwhile, Nakuru is leading in potato production in Kenya.
Last year, statistics indicate that the County produced 657,091 tonnes of the crop.
To boost dairy farming, Kihika pointed out that her administration has introduced subsidized Artificial Insemination which has so far benefitted 23 cooperatives.
“A total of 1,366 inseminations have been performed. To show the fruits of restoration of agriculture, we are the second county in food and milk production in the country,” she said.
On matters health services, she revealed that the county has witnessed an increased hospital visits of seven per cent for outpatients and 11 per cent for in-patients compared to 2023, a demonstration that we have restored public trust in our hospitals.
She reiterated her commitment towards achieving her pledge of every Sub County being served with a Level 4 hospital.
Construction of these facilities is at various stages in Rongai, Kuresoi North, Subukia and in Bahati sub counties.
“We now have a total of 15 Level 4 Hospitals providing specialized care. We have constructed maternity wings at various health centres, more than 10 new dispensaries and rehabilitated others to ensure our people receive healthcare closer to their homes. We have automated 15 hospitals and we are in the process of extending the infrastructure to 100 public hospitals across the County. To supplement the hospitals, we have employed a total of 3,306 Community Healthcare Providers. Still, we have ensured uninterrupted availability of medicines in all public hospitals throughout the year,” Kihika revealed.
To increase investments, enhance productivity, value addition, marketing and create jobs for sustainable development in our County, Kihika’s administration is increasingly investing funds to provide credit to entrepreneurs and construction of markets for farmers and traders.
This commitment was witnessed three days go, when Governor Kihika launched the Kshs100 million Wezesha Fund—comprising the County Enterprise Fund and the County Cooperative Revolving Development Fund—to help entrepreneurs access affordable credit.
Already, Saccos such as Mwaki, Sokoro and cooperatives societies such as Olenguruone Farmers and Suka have borrowed from the fund.
Kihika encouraged self-help groups, Saccos and cooperatives to take advantage of low interests (8 per cent per annum for County Enterprise and 6 percent per annum for Cooperative Fund) to either initiate or grow their businesses.
As a way of encouraging high production and incomes to farmers and traders, the county government is in partnership with the National Government—constructing 18 ultra-modern markets in Dundori, Kabatini, Naivasha, Kuresoi North, Njoro, Rongai, Elburgon, Gilgil, and Nakuru City among other parts of the County ensure farmers access markets and our traders go about their business in a conducive environment.
The new markets have cold rooms for storage, lactation rooms for breast feeding mothers, ICT hubs, eateries and social halls.
In addition, the County Government has constructed 14 new markets across the County and refurbished tens of market shades.
“We have constructed six bus parks in Nakuru City, Naivasha (3) and one each in Gilgil and Molo. In consideration of gender, we have ensured that 50 per cent of business stalls are owned by women,” stated Kihika.
In the education sector, the county boss said her administration is progressively taking steps to ensure that children access quality education from the earliest age while our youths who have completed secondary school get an opportunity to acquire life-changing skills.
It will be recalled that two days ago, Kihika commissioned 498 ECDE teachers recently employed on permanent and pensionable terms adding that more will be hired until teacher-student ratio of 1.25 is achieved.
In addition, the County is implementing the Uji Program across the County which for the last one year has seen the number of ECDE learners increase from 59,000 to 65,000 as the centres shot up to 1,068 from 1,003.
So far, constructed 127 new classrooms, rehabilitated 16 classrooms, equipped 628 classrooms with age-appropriate furniture, constructed 10 kitchens as well as 69 modern toilets for our ECDE learners.
To promote Vocational Training Centres (VTCs), the County Government of Nakuru has increased the number of VTCs from 33 to 40, provided a capitation of Kshs30,000 for each learner and increased the enrolment to 5,400 learners. Above all, providing bursaries for needy students at secondary, university, college and tertiary level. This year, we set aside Kshs432 million for bursaries.
“We are fast tracking the elevation of Njoro, Maai Mahiu and Mau Narok townships to municipalities. Bahati, Salgaa, Elburgon, Subukia, Olenguruone and Kabazi are being upgraded to townships.
The net effect of this undertaking is to enhance socio-economic activities and attraction of infrastructure development for the said urban areas.
To end land ownership challenges, Kihika stated that her administration is working with the National Government to issue title deeds for those in settlement schemes as we seek settlement for those who have no land—the case of Dundori, for instance.
Under the Affordable Housing program, constructing 220 houses each in Bahati, Elburgon and Gilgil while those in Nakuru City have already been sold, with aim to replicate this program across the county.
In Bahati, some of the projects being undertaken are: Construction of an ECDE class and water tank at Jacaranda School, Rehabilitation of the coffee factory at Mutungati Farmer’s Cooperative Society, Grading and murraming roads through the Imarisha Barabara program, Construction two lecture rooms at Wamunyoro Vocational Training Centre including fencing Renovation and equipping Ruguru Dispensary Maternity in Kabatini.
Others are installation of streetlights across Kabatini Ward, Completion Engashura Health Centre, Installation high mast streetlights in Kiamunyeki, Makutano, Moi Forces, Tiger Road, Kichinjio Road, Remdic Stop, Mtaa B and Ndege Ndimu, Construction of the Jerusalem Bridge-Mireroni, Construction of Boda Boda shades in Kabatini, Purchasing and distributing of avocado seedling across the sub county.
Kihika expressed her commitment towards completion of all projects started in various sectors.
“My government is determined to complete and operationalize projects in other sectors such as education, water and environment, and roads. I urge my team to burn the mid night oil and ensure that we fulfil the pledges contained in my manifesto. Together, we have to grow the economy of Nakuru County as we observe peaceful co-existence,” she said.