Kimilili Member of Parliament (MP) Didmus Barasa has intensified his campaign for the Bungoma governorship with a pledge to establish a county-wide empowerment kitty for women and youth if elected in the 2027 General Election.
Barasa made the remarks at his Nasianda home in Kimilili Constituency on Saturday, after disbursing Sh5 million to 30 women groups under an empowerment programme aimed at helping them expand their businesses and cushion them against prevailing economic hardships.
The legislator said supporting women-led enterprises would strengthen their resilience and improve household incomes, noting that the programme would be expanded to reach more beneficiaries.
He said he intends to replicate the initiative across the county if he clinches the county’s top seat.
“If I am elected to be governor next year, I will set up a kitty for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to support women and the youth. Through the Department of Trade, I will ensure that apart from issuing funds, they also get training on how to run their enterprises,” Barasa said.
He explained that the proposed county programme would not only provide financial assistance but also equip beneficiaries with entrepreneurial skills needed to establish and sustainably run businesses.
On trade and infrastructure, Barasa pledged to improve village markets and trading centres across Bungoma to create a more conducive environment for small-scale traders.
He said all such markets would be upgraded with proper sheds, lighting, cabro-paved surfaces and internet connectivity.
On health, the MP promised to introduce a comprehensive maternal care programme where the county government would meet the cost of services for expectant mothers from antenatal care through delivery and postnatal care.
“All mothers in Bungoma County will deliver free. The moment a pregnancy is confirmed, the county government will take over to ensure that mothers get specialised care and supplements all the way to delivery and six months after delivery,” he said.
Barasa said the programme would shield expectant mothers from risks associated with pregnancy while improving maternal and child health outcomes.
He also outlined an ambitious infrastructure plan, citing poor road conditions as a major challenge in several sub-counties.
He said most roads in the sub-counties were impassable and pledged to procure road maintenance equipment to be deployed to each sub-county for regular maintenance.
“This will ensure that work is going on throughout the year and that no road at any given time is impassable,” he said.
In the education sector, Barasa promised to introduce a free milk programme for learners from Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) to Grade Eight to boost school retention and improve transition to senior school.
He further pledged to modernise all Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) in the county and zero-rate training fees to attract learners who miss out on university placement.
Barasa, who is seeking to succeed the current county leadership in the 2027 gubernatorial race, will face a crowded field that includes Westlands MP Timothy Wanyonyi, former Bungoma governor Wycliffe Wangamati, Zacharia Barasa, Allan Fwamba and Denis Nyongesa, among other aspirants.
He urged voters not to be swayed by questionable political alliances or money, but to scrutinize the character, track record and development credentials of each candidate.
He accused some politicians of taking advantage of prevailing political waves to win elections before disappearing from their constituencies and leaving residents to bear the consequences of poor leadership for five years.
Barasa said his development record in Kimilili gives him an edge over his competitors.
“When I took over, I pledged to modernise all our schools and today all the schools have modern tiled classrooms and cabros. It’s only two that are remaining and will be done by December. This is the kind of work I want to extend to the rest of Bungoma,” he said.
The MP said his proposed county-wide programmes seek to combine economic empowerment, improved healthcare, better infrastructure and investment in education and vocational training as part of his development agenda for Bungoma.
By Chris Mahandara
