Waititu to give free land to investors in Kiambu

Investors willing to put their money in Kiambu will get free land for a six-month period, Governor Ferdinand Waititu said.

He said the county government will in June launch an industrial park at Nachu in Kikuyu subcounty. Waititu said 1,500 acres have been provide for the construction of the park.

"We are inviting investors in Kiambu. We are going to give free land for the first six months," Waititu said at the county headquarters on Thursday.

"When investors put up factories in the industrial park, our youths will get employment. We expect them to be given first priority," Waititu said.

In December 2017, the county assembly  passed a motion compelling public and private institutions to get 70 per cent of their workforce from the dominant ethnic community.

Waititu said all factories and public institutions should adhere to the law and help  create jobs in the county. 

The governor said a road is being built for easier access to the industrial park, whicat will be near the Standard Gauge Railway. 

At the same time, Waititu told farmers to follow the advise of the Meteorological Department when planting this season.  

"We have consulted agricultural experts. I am asking farmers to plant crops that grow within a short period like three months because there will be a shortage of rain. When the rain comes, no one knows if it will be short rains or long rains," Waititu said.

He said the county government plans to plant 1 million trees, which will be done by recovering alcoholics. They were enrolled in the just-concluded "Kaa Sober' programme. 

"I want residents to know that those people they used to refer to as drunkards are not alcoholics anymore. They are  better and are ready to work. I will engage them in planting trees once the rains start," Waititu said.

The governor told the youth to take opportunity of Jijenge Fund to improve their lives. 

Edited by Pamela Wanambisi