- Kenya signed a Sh11.8bn billion investment plan with Coca-Cola to expand operations over five years about 3,000 jobs.
- Truly, the government is keen to fulfill its promises from the bottom up! Kenya is rising both globally and at the grassroots too!
Image: PCS
It’s been an amazing week, indeed. President William Ruto has made great gains in his state visit to the United States. It’s a very significant step in the right direction to ensuring Kenyans gain from the visit. My office has been on a tour of Nakuru county to highlight the gains made by the Kenya Kwanza administration so far.
To begin with, President Ruto’s state visit is historic, as it is the first by an African Head of State since 2018, and the first by a Kenyan head of state in two decades.
Kenya and the US have enjoyed a cordial relationship for 60 years, and their long-standing partnership has facilitated increased cooperation on economic and security issues. This enduring bilateral relationship has also been bolstered by Kenya’s strategic importance to the US, as a key regional anchor and gateway to the East African region. The President’s US visit, themed, “Partnership for Prosperity”, will strengthen the partnership between Kenya and the US. And that will also enhance our collaborations in trade, climate change, and regional security.
President Ruto has met his US counterpart, President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C. The envisaged benefits from the trip include health and education partnerships, global democracy partnerships, trade and security partnerships as well as investments in the creative economy.
In particular, the President has announced that five Kenyan universities will be signing a student exchange programme with American universities, to contribute to the academic experiences of both the Kenyan and American students. Kenya has also signed a Sh11.8 billion investment plan with Coca-Cola to expand of its operations in Kenya over five years. This will create potentially create about 3,000 jobs and contribute to our local economy. More agreements will be signed during the tour, which will have a positive impact on our economy and regional standing.
Guided by its development blueprints: the Constitution, Kenya Vision 2030, Medium Term Plan (MTPIV), and the Bottom up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the Kenya Kwanza government is partnering with county governments in the exchange of information, coordination of policies and administration as well as in enhancing the capacities of both levels of government.
Accordingly, our week-long tour of duty in Nakuru county aims to highlight the fruits of these collaborations including, the 90 national projects and programmes that are ongoing across the county.
This city county remains one of the most cosmopolitan counties in Kenya and home to a large population of Kenyans of varied descents. Under the leadership of H.E. Governor Susan Kihika, the county continues to witness immense growth in agriculture, tourism and manufacturing sectors. These developments are aligned with the Kenya Kwanza’s socio-economic plan to enhance economic growth and uplift the livelihoods of all Kenyans.
The national government is undertaking projects and programmes in Nakuru County and this collaboration has borne the following fruits:
There are a total of nine national projects being undertaken in Nakuru designed to contribute to food and nutrition security, job creation and livelihood improvement. They include:
Empowering Novel Agri-business Employment for Youth (ENABLE-Youth), ongoing (2018-2025) for Sh39M. The project is contributing to income generation and improved livelihoods for youth in urban and rural areas.
Kenya Cereals Enhancement Programme, Climate Resilient Agriculture Livelihoods Window . This aims to reduce rural poverty and food insecurity among smallholders in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands. The cost pf the project is Sh143M and involves 3,716 farmers in Molo and 3,590 farmers in Njoro.
The Naivasha Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is a transformative public infrastructure project to spur economic development in Nakuru. This initiative, spearheaded by the Kenyan government through the SEZ Authority, aims to create a business-friendly environment attracting domestic and international investment.
Currently, the SEZ Authority has licensed Seven SEZ Enterprises with a projected investment value of $182,025,635 and is estimated to create 2,700 jobs. Nine companies have applied to invest in the Zone with a projected investment valued at $355,972,054, which will create over 5,000 jobs. Further, with the launch of Jumbo Africa Auto Auction SEZ Ltd, the Government anticipates a surge in investor interest and the creation of additional jobs within the next year.
The government is spearheading the proposed installation of 1. Electric-Powered High Mast Flood Lighting Structures in Bahati subcounty, Nakuru. The project, which is 90 per cent complete, will cost Sh4.9 million. The proposed installation of electric-powered high mast floodlighting structures in Naivasha, and the electric-powered high mast floodlighting structures in Nakuru county, are also ongoing at 50 per cent completion and will cost Sh5.4 million and Sh9.5 million, respectively.
The construction of Kiamaina market sheds in Bahati subcounty is ongoing at a cost of Sh16 million. Some Sh3.2 million has already been disbursed and the project, which is 30 per cent complete, will provide a clean and safe environment for Nakuru traders.
This is in addition to ongoing construction of the Nakuru Multipurpose Market in Bondeni. The project is 89 per cent completion and will cost Sh612 million. The government is keen to complete construction of the Nakuru City Bus Park. The project is 48 per cent complete, with Sh119 million already disbursed.
To improve on Nakuru school infrastructure, the government has allocated Sh26 million to complete dormitories and construct a multipurpose hall in Naivasha Boys Boarding Primary School. This project is 40 per cent complete.
Construction is ongoing in Milimani Primary School, Nakuru Town, where the government is constructing boarding facilities (Boys and Girls Dormitories), a kitchen, dining hall, a multi-purpose hall and ablution blocks at a total cost of Sh116 million. This project is 80 percent complete and will ensure children have a safe and suitable learning environment.
The national government is constructing affordable housing units at Elburgon, Nakuru. The project, which is 35 per cent complete, will cost Sh499 million. It will construct nine blocks of 220 affordable houses including, 20, one-bedroom units; 120, two bedroom units; 60 studios and 20, three bedroom units.
The Bahati Constituency affordable housing project is set to end in September this year. It is 42 per cent complete and will provide 220 housing units for Sh504 million.
The affordable housing projects have provided job opportunities to many youths including, 53 members of the Elburgon Jua Kali Association and 58 members of the Great Rift Bahati Welders Association.
Truly, the government is keen to fulfill its promises from the bottom up! Kenya is rising both globally and at the grassroots too!
Government spokesperson