President Ruto launches multiple govt projects in Garissa
President William Ruto has launched several new government projects in Garissa County during his third day tour of Northern Kenya.
The President commissioned the Garissa Immigration Office, which was shut down in 2014 following a wave of terror attacks in various parts of the country.
Addressing a public baraza at the Waterfront Grounds in Lagdera Constituency, he said: “You will no longer be required to travel all the way to Nairobi to have your passports processed.”
This move complements the President’s decree on Wednesday, which ended years of State-sanctioned discrimination of Northern Kenya residents on the issuance of national identification documents.
“Let all children of Kenya be subjected to the same vetting for these documents. There are no reasons to continue subjecting others to unnecessary extra-vetting and ethnic profiling,” he said.
He directed Immigration officials to create a “green corridor” and quickly process passports for Kenyans seeking to travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage later in the year.
Present were Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Governors Nathif Jama (Garissa) and Mohamud Ali (Marsabit).
The President reiterated that the marginalisation of the region had come to an end under his administration.
On land matters, the President issued 3,000 of 10,000 title deeds the government intends to issue to residents, the highest number since independence.
On roads, he said the government is building the Isiolo-Mandera road in partnership with the African Development Bank, World Bank and the Arab Bank to further open up the region.
He also launched the construction of the Tana River Bridge and access roads at a cost of KSh1.7 billion.
Once complete, he said, the bridge will end the suffering the people of Garissa and Tana River counties have gone through when the old bridge was cut off during floods.
Earlier, President Ruto flagged off the construction of a new runway at the Garissa Airstrip and the upgrade of the existing one in partnership with the Garissa County Government. He also assessed progress at the new terminal building.
Once complete, he said, the new aviation facilities will make daily flights from the facility possible.
Additionally, the President the President kick-started vaccination of animals and National Livestock Restocking Programme in the county. He also gave Garissa Farmers Network better cattle breeds at the Waterfront Grounds.
Under the initiative, more than 10,000 families will benefit from over 53,000 animals to be distributed at a cost of KSh1 billion.
President Ruto called on pastoralists to embrace the government’s animal vaccination programme to rid their livestock of diseases.
In turn, the President explained, healthier animals would make Kenyan meat more acceptable in foreign markets.
He also inspected the progress of construction of the 408-unit Garissa Affordable Housing Project.
He announced that the construction of 1,000 additional units would start soon and would benefit the university, Kenya Medical Training College and TVET students.
“As we transform Kenya, we will make sure that Garissa will not be left behind,” President Ruto pointed out.
He urged the youth to ignore critics and naysayers who demean the job opportunities created in the Affordable Housing Programme.
“This is a whole-of-society approach which everyone, including architects, plumbers and masons, are all participating,” he said.
The President also announced that the National Government would equip the Mother and Child Unit at the Garissa Level 5 Teaching and Referral Hospital, which the county government is currently building.
He also visited the steam carbon cooking asset project being piloted by the Government at Garissa High School.
He said the project is part of a broader global effort to reduce the use of firewood for cooking in schools in favour of cleaner alternatives.
President Ruto said the project will be rolled out in schools across the country soon.
On electricity, he announced that the government will spend KSh2 billion to connect 15,000 households to power in the county.
Moreover, he explained, the government is building seven fresh produce markets in the county, including the famous Soko Muqdi, which burned down in 2022.
Deputy President Kithure commended the President for his deliberate actions to share the national cake fairly.
“For us to achieve national unity, we must ensure fair equitable sharing of national resources,” he said.
Others present were Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, MPs and MCAs.