Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen on Sunday said plans are underway to ensure the Eldoret Airport runway is expanded to boost operations.
Speaking during a church service in Uasin Gishu, Murkomen said the runway will be enhanced to four kilometers by an additional 500 meters.
With concern, the CS said flights that deliver spare parts and mitumba consignments often go back empty adding that it is a good opportunity to ensure what is produced in the area is directly exported to the European markets.
“For many years when the flights deliver spare parts and mitumba they go back empty. We urge the governors and MPS to push our farmers to venture into horticulture farming so that when the flights land here they leave Eldoret direct to Europe and other countries,” Murkomen said.
The CS called on the leaders from the region to push farmers to venture into horticulture farming to boost exports.
Going further, Murkomen said President William Ruto has been to several countries including China and Europe in his effort to open up markets for Kenyan exports.
“It is our responsibility now here in Kenya to diversify what we plant to have produce for the markets,” he added.
Murkome added that his ministry will help in two ways; Expansion of the airport and placing of cool logistics on the railway to ensure that the product reaches the market.
This comes barely a day after Murkomen and Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei exchanged bitter words over roads contracts.
The CS told off Cherargei over the senator's earlier remarks that a contractor from his local community should be awarded a roads tender in the county.
Speaking in the local Kalenjn dialect, Murkomen strongly criticised Cherargei for allegedly opposing one of the contractors chosen to pave a road simply because he was not a Kalenjin.
The furious CS told the senator that at least President William Ruto was not using 'his brain'.
“Cherargei, I want to teach you something. If the President was using a brain like yours, we would not be having the country now. I’m telling you the truth,” Murkomen said.
Speaking during the funeral of the son of Chesumei MP Paul Biego Polo, the CS said the government was awarding contracts fairly without room for tribalism.
Speaking in the same funeral moments before Murkomen addressed the mourners, Cherargei advocated for the allocation of a road project to a local contractor, emphasising that the move would benefit the residents.
