- Uhuru further said that since 2013, his administration has issued 5.4 million title deeds.
- Of these, one-third or 1.64 million have gone to Gema counties in the Mt Kenya region.
Image: ANDREW KASUKU
Image: ANDREW KASUKU
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday showcased some of the multimillion projects done by his administration in Mt Kenya.
This comes amid a battle for control of the region with his deputy, William Ruto.
The President said his administration, contrary to claims by Ruto’s camp, did more than what the past three governments combined achieved.
Uhuru said while the Kibaki administration left behind Sh5 trillion GDP, his government will leave the country’s wealth at more than Sh13 trillion.
“I am not here to shame any government but truth be told, whoever I will hand over the government to in August will take it from Sh13 trillion and that is the growth I am talking about," he said.
He listed projects across the country comprising infrastructure such as roads, electricity connection, dams and security as some of the scorecards.
Uhuru further said the Mau Mau road is a product of the handshake and is set to benefit the Mt Kenya region.
President Uhuru said that upon completion, farmers can take their produce from Nyeri to JKIA without facing the challenges of oncoming traffic.
He said previously this would have taken them four hours.
“And with new interchange travel distance will be cut to one hour.”
Uhuru further said that since 2013, his administration has issued 5.4 million title deeds.
Of these, one-third or 1.64 million have gone to Gema counties in the Mt Kenya region.
“Most of them have been issued in my second-term. If on average a piece of land in Gema is worth Sh600,000 an acre, this translates to Sh984 billion," he said.
"If a bank can offer up to three times the value of land as credit, this translates to a line of credit to Kikuyus, worth approximately Sh3 trillion. This is the size of our national budget, and one-third of our GDP."
On coffee, Uhuru said, while at independence coffee farmers were earning 50 cents per kilo, his administration, through the Handshake, raised it to Sh110 per kilogramme.
This is up from the Sh2.50 per kilogramme during the Moi administration and Sh20 per kilogramme during the Kibaki government.
Uhuru further said the price of tea increased by 42 per cent during his the Handshake period.
“The minimum auction price for tea is now Sh311 up from Sh181. Which leader will sustain this?”
He said the combined economy of the 10 Mt Kenya counties is worth Sh3 trillion, which is equivalent to 30 per cent of the country’s GDP.
Uhuru said the Mt Kenya economy is also equivalent to the total GDP of Senegal, Zimbabwe and twice the size of Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan combined.
The President congratulated Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya for reviving the agricultural sector.
Uhuru said that the economy of the country has been on a steady rise because of peaceful co-existence.
The President Thiba dam will increase the value of rice and other horticultural crops in the area from Sh10 billion to Sh21 billion.
Thiba Dam will enable rice farmers in Mwea region to grow rice for two seasons in the year instead of one season.
Already, the Mwea rice growers cooperative has sold rice to the government worth Sh1 billion.
(edited by Amol Awuor)