The Head of Public Service and Chief of Staff, Felix Koskei has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring there is equitable development across all regions of the country.
Speaking at Lupida Primary School in Nambale Sub-County on Wednesday, Koskei urged Kenyans to support the government of the day and its development projects which will change the face of the country.
“The government is committed to ensure every part of this country receives its share of the development. Kenya is one country and all citizens are equal and the country should move together as one. Let’s work and support the government through our leaders so that we can move together. We need to engage in politics of development so that all people can benefit and bring constructive change to our country,” he asserted.
Koskei added that the government is working to ensure all Kenyans are included in national development initiatives regardless of their socio-political status citing the women enterprise fund, youth fund, affordable fertiliser and NYOTA project as the initiatives that are targeting to improve the economic status of every Kenyan.
During the occasion, the head of public service challenged all Kenyans to plant trees equivalent to their age every rainy season so as to help the government attain the target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
“We have planted a total of 30,000 today and in this county, a total of 340,000 trees have been planted. This is a good initiative towards the initiative of planting 15 billion trees by 2032. Let us plant trees every time because trees give us a healthy environment, rain and even business. If you are 50 years old, make sure every rainy season you plant 50 trees and this will change the environment of our country,” he explained.
The Principal Secretary for Economic Planning, Boniface Makokha, said his department will be launching the forums for discussion on economy and planning matters.
“We are planning to train community champions, chiefs and village elders to collect data so that when we are doing a project at a certain place, we can just click and know the progress of the project. We are also going to launch Gumzo la Uchumi Mashinani so that we can have a national public dialogue to shape up bottom-up planning. We are also reviewing vision 2030 to draw the lessons that will inform our 2055 or 2063 Kenya long vision,” he said.
Makokha added that the government has also launched the national training program for county training officers to align County plans with national development blueprint. We are also training NGAO officers on a program called Emerging Paradigm in Data Ecosystem on grass root leaders to ensure every village contributes data and evidence to guide national decisions.
The Principal Secretary for State Department of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Susan Mang’eni, urged the youth to embrace the NYOTA program so that they can get capital to start business and create their own employment.
“We want to tackle the issue of unemployment and NYOTA program is one of the initiatives to address the same. This calls for the support from other leaders to ensure after these youths have been empowered with funds to start businesses, the environment is made conducive for them to do their businesses,” she said.
Mang’eni pointed out that the hustler fund repayment rate in Busia County stands at 80 % calling for defaulters to clear their debts.
“In Busia County we have disbursed close to Sh980 million through hustler funds. My call to all who took the funds is to ensure they pay back so as to improve their limit and give others the opportunity to benefit from the fund. The county repayment rate is 80% but we are working to see how the remaining 20% is achieved,” she said.
The National CDF Board Chairperson, Olago Aluoch, said the two buses issued to Lupida and Siera Secondary schools will help to serve the community even as they help to generate revenue to the two schools.
“This is the project of the board to Nambale constituency. We have brought 2 school buses to two schools which will not only help the two schools but also the surrounding schools and the community at large. We are handing over KDR 940P valued at 7.6 million to Lupida secondary school KDR 941P of same value to Siera Girls’ Secondary School. These buses will be serving the whole community and if managed well, will be a source of revenue to the two schools,” he said.
By Salome Alwanda and Rodgers Omondi
