Residents of Vihiga County have engaged in a public participation forum to deliberate on the implementation of the Ruto-Raila 10-point agenda, raising key concerns affecting development in the area.
The forum, which brought together community members, local leaders and other stakeholders, provided a platform for wananchi to share their views on the broad-based government’s development plans.
The 10-point agenda, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in March 2025 between President William Ruto and late opposition leader Raila Odinga, seeks to promote national unity, enhance governance and reform public institutions.
Key focus areas include implementation of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, the fight against corruption, economic stabilisation and youth empowerment.
A team from NADCO, led by Dr Agnes Zani, attended the forum and underscored the importance of public participation in fostering inclusivity and transparency in governance. The team urged residents to continue engaging in such forums.
“We acknowledge there are gaps in some areas. The public have expressed their views openly and we are assessing whether existing systems are effective,” said Dr Zani.
Speaking during the meeting, NADCO Implementation Committee Vice Chairperson Javas Bigambo said the exercise was aimed at collecting public views to inform implementation of development programmes.
“We are here to engage the public on development plans under the broad-based government. Residents have raised concerns that should be incorporated in the report, including the need for the county government to fight corruption and ensure equitable distribution of resources,” he said.
The team noted that residents emphasised the need for equality and inclusivity in development, while farmers called for increased access to subsidised fertiliser.
The farmers, however, commended the government for reducing fertiliser prices from Sh7,000 to Sh2,500.
Participants also cited poor infrastructure and gaps in service delivery, calling on relevant authorities to address their concerns to enhance development in the county.
By Rose Wasike
