Addressing perennial water shortage in Nakuru county is top of the agenda of governor Susan Kihika.
Speaking on Thursday after her swearing-in at the Nakuru Agricultural Society of Kenya showground, Kihika said it was unfortunate that girls and mothers in most parts of Nakuru walk long distances to fetch water for domestic use.
Industries and companies are also affected by lack of adequate clean water.
"As I crisscrossed the county in search of votes, the business community indicated that there was no adequate water supplies to run their businesses," Kihika said in her acceptance speech.
She takes over from Lee Kinyanjui who served since 2017. Kihika is the third governor of Nakuru and the first woman to hold the seat.
UDA secretary general Veronica Maina and all the Nakuru UDA MPs were present at her inauguration.
The newly elected governor promised to engage the national government in getting a new contractor to complete Itare Dam and enter into negotiations with Baringo county for supply of water from Chemususu dam.
"Itare Dam will provide water to Kuresoi, Njoro and Nakuru town while the water from Chemususu will supply Rongai and Subukia," she said.
For Naivasha and Gilgil residents, Kihika pledged to complete Malewa dam.
On sanitation, the former Nakuru senator said her administration will construct sewerage system in all subcounties that do not have the system starting with Gilgil.
The county government will also install solar systems to borehole in the 11 subcounties to cut the cost of power in their operation.
On children welfare, Kihika promised to establish the school feeding programme in all public Early Childhood Development Education Centers.
"For a child, it is often quite a distance from their homes to the school hence not making practicable to go home for a meal and go back to school," Kihika observed, saying the move would also enhance ECDE enrollment.
Kihika also promised to hasten the completion of Afraha International Stadium and Keringet Sports Academy and said she will create a Sports Fund to support and sustain sports talents.
"To encourage sports, the county government will establish functional stadiums in all the 11 Sub-counties and link sports to tourism circuit to attract regional and international athletes," she said.
On cultural heritage, Kihika promised to build cultural and community multi-purpose halls in every subcounty to promote culture, creative arts, traditions and heritage.
Nakuru being an agricultural hub, the newly elected governor said she will enhance access to farm inputs and subsidise services for peasant farmers by allocating the Cooperative Fund Sh1 billion annually.
"Agriculture is the biggest contributor to the Gross County Product and provides employment to thousands of county residents," she said.
The new administration, she said, will recruit more agricultural extension officers for crop development and veterinary services.
"The county will work closely with Egerton University to operationalise Egerton Agro-processing Industrial Park which will include modern silos, cold stores and agricultural parts," she said.
Kihika also spelt out ways she will use to improve health, employment, youth and gender, trade, tourism, land and physical planning.
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