State House Head of Special Programs and Creative Economy Coordination Dennis Itumbi has challenged Kirinyaga residents to take a more active role in shaping the county’s development priorities through a new initiative dubbed “The Kirinyaga We Want.”
Itumbi said the initiative will bring together farmers, youth, women, professionals, clergy, boda boda operators, and other residents to identify the challenges facing the county and develop practical solutions that can guide its development in the coming years.
Speaking on Sunday, August 30, 2026, after attending a church service at All Saints ACK Mwea Parish, Itumbi said Kirinyaga needed a clear development agenda built around the needs of its people rather than relying on political slogans or agendas developed elsewhere.
“We want to change the game plan. For a long time, Kirinyaga has been counted with other people. We now want to create our own identity and our own path,” he said.
Itumbi said the initiative will involve public engagements across the county, where residents will give their views on agriculture, roads, employment, education, healthcare, water, the economy, and other areas affecting their daily lives.
He said professionals and experts would also be involved to help analyse the issues raised by residents and turn them into practical and measurable proposals.
“There are some issues about the economy; there are issues about farming that have proper experts. We are also going to be calling experts on board to help us dissect and compile the vision so as to ensure that we have a clear pathway towards “The Kirinyaga We Want,” he said.
Agriculture is expected to take center stage in the proposed blueprint, with Itumbi saying Kirinyaga should maximise the potential of its agricultural sector to improve household incomes and create more opportunities for young people.
He singled out rice farming in Mwea, saying the county should aim beyond being a leading rice producer in Kenya and position itself as a major rice-producing hub in Africa.
“Rice farming is the biggest; we want to turn it into the biggest in Africa, not only the biggest in Kenya,” he said.
He said the development conversation should also examine the condition of roads and other infrastructure, noting that Kirinyaga’s growing population and economic activities require infrastructure investment that reflects the county’s needs.
Itumbi also called for greater use of Kirinyaga’s human capital, saying the county has highly qualified professionals who can contribute to development at both the county and national levels.
He said the initiative would not only identify new projects but also examine existing government programmes and establish whether they are delivering the intended benefits to residents.
Residents will be encouraged to identify projects that have transformed their communities, those that have stalled, and areas where they believe more investment is needed.
The information gathered will then be compiled into a development blueprint that residents can use to engage leaders and demand accountability.
Itumbi said this would change the relationship between residents and political leaders, with voters presenting their development priorities to candidates instead of simply receiving campaign promises.
“We no longer want to follow politicians; we want politicians to follow our vision,” he said.
He said the approach does not mean Kirinyaga should isolate itself from other counties or from the national development agenda.
Instead, he said, the county needs to understand its own priorities so that it can engage other regions and the national government from a stronger position.
“We are not saying Kirinyaga should fight its neighbours. We are saying Kirinyaga should know what it wants. We can work with everybody, but we must have our own identity and our own agenda,” he said.
Itumbi’s proposal comes against the backdrop of continued debate over the political direction of the wider Mt. Kenya region, but he maintained that the focus of the initiative should remain on what directly affects the people of Kirinyaga.
He said national unity and a strong county development agenda can exist together, arguing that communities must be able to identify their local priorities while contributing to the development of the country as a whole.
The initiative is expected to provide a platform for residents to discuss how to improve agricultural productivity, expand employment opportunities, strengthen public services, improve infrastructure, and make better use of the county’s economic potential.
Itumbi said the ultimate objective is to create a long-term development vision that does not change whenever political leadership changes.
“We don’t want to sloganize our way into development. We want to compile our own development,” he said.
He urged residents to participate in the planned public sittings and contribute ideas that can be incorporated into the final document.
“The Kirinyaga We Want cannot be designed by one politician. It must be designed by the people of Kirinyaga,” he said.
The blueprint, once developed, is expected to provide a common set of priorities that leaders seeking to represent Kirinyaga can be challenged to support and implement.
For Itumbi, the initiative is about shifting the conversation from who leads Kirinyaga to what Kirinyaga needs, putting development, accountability, and the aspirations of residents at the centre of the county’s future.
By David Wandeto
