•Uhuru urged Kenyans to fully support the BBI initiative aimed at uniting the country, adding that citizens should read the report released on Wednesday.
•ODM leader Raila Odinga Raila noted that the country is heading directly to referendum and that "it will be successful".
President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed Interior CS Fred Matiang'i to ensure that the 63km Kisumu-Mamboleo-Chemelil-Muhoroni road is completed in four months.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed Interior CS Fred Matiang'i to ensure that the 63km Kisumu-Mamboleo-Chemelil-Muhoroni road is completed in four months.
"We are constructing an international stadium here in Mamboleo and this type of road should not be leading to such a stadium," he said on Thursday at Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Mamboleo.
"I will be coming here in April next year and this should be completed by then."
The pronouncement made the crowd cheer.
"We are so happy that finally the directive has been issued by the president and the road will be completed," said Matthews Owino who owns a shop in Mamboleo.
Two months ago, the government approved Sh4.9 billion for the construction of the road after two decades of neglect.
The road, which is in a poor state, links Kisumu to neighbouring counties.
Treasury CS Ukur Yatani in a letter to his Transport counterpart James Macharia on August 5 stated that the funding was provided for in the 2020-21 budget.
Leaders and residents have for more than 20 years been demanding that the road be repaired.
The road is filled with potholes and motorists have been incurring huge losses in repairing their damaged vehicles.
Mamboleo residents have on several occasions demonstrated over the poor state of the road.
The announcement is also a huge relief for the Nyanza region's sugar belt as the road passes near three major millers.
Yatani said all preliminary conditions for approval, including land acquisition, detailed designs and regulatory approvals, have been satisfied.
“The purpose of this letter therefore is to grant you approval to implement these projects within the provision of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act 2015, among others,” he stated.
CS Macharia James was present during Uhuru's tour.
Meanwhile, Uhuru urged Kenyans to fully support the BBI initiative aimed at uniting the country, adding that citizens should read the report released on Wednesday.
ODM leader Raila Odinga Raila noted that the country is heading directly to referendum and that "it will be successful".
"We want 80 per cent of Kenyans to vote for BBI," he said.
Other leaders present were CSs Amina Mohamed (Sports) and George Magoha (Education).
Others were Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Jubilee secretary general Raphael Tuju, Siaya Senator James Orengo, MPs Fed Outa Gladys Wanga, Junet Mohamed, Aduma Owuor and Shakeel Shabbir.