Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki addresses the Nyandarua County Assembly special sitting, June, 7, 2017. [Photo: Nyandarua County Assembly]"SPEECH BY SICILY K. KARIUKI, (MRS.) EGH, CABINET SECRETARY MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SERVICE, YOUTH AND GENDER AFFAIRS DURING THE SPECIAL SITTING AT THE NYANDARUA COUNTY ASSEMBLY ON 7TH JUNE, 2017 AT NYANDARUA COUNTY ASSEMBLY CHAMBERS, OL KALOUThe Governor, Daniel Waithaka MwangiThe Speaker, Hon. James Wahome NdegwaHonourable Members of Nyandarua County Assembly Ladies and Gentlemen Mr Speaker, Let me begin by appreciating you and the members of this assembly for having me as your guest today. This is a special ocassion noting this is the first assembly under the devolved County Government. I become a part of this great legacy as we reflect on the achievements made in the last 5 years under the Jubilee Administration and collectively recommit ourselves to a greater future for our beloved country.The spirit and the letter of devolution as expressed by the constitution is that the two levels of Government should work in the spirit of consultation and cooperation to bring services and resources closer to the people. I wish to commend the County of Nyandarua and specifically this assembly for ensuring the necessary legislation and policies are in place to execute the devolved mandates. I am informed that you have been able to pass 15 bills, achieved the 1/3 gender provision and incorporated special interest groups (SIGs) into the composition of your assembly. This spirit of “not leaving anyone behind” also underpins the legislative and programatic interventions executed at the National Government. In this regard, Kenya has ratified international and regional frameworks on gender equality and women empowerment. Indeed Gender equality has been a critical pillar of the Jubilee adminstration and remains a flagship initiative under MTP III.Mr Speaker, The Jubilee Administration has in line with its manifesto strategically invested in areas of greatest impact to the Nation and the County of Nyandarua has seen great transformation under these sectors. 1. HealthTwo level five hospitals fully equiped in Ol Kalou and Engineer to handle emergency and other cases. A total of 96 million has been invested in the maternal health care FY2015/2016 and 7 million in the free primary health care program.2. EducationEnormous investment in education has been done, capitation has been granted to over 128,000 pupils enrolled in primary and 52,221 in secondary school.In terms of Educational infrastructure ,a new teachers college namely Aberdares has been started , 3 Technical Training Institutes – Kipipiri, Ndaragwa and Kinangop have been constucted while the digital literacy programme has trained 926 teachers across 328 schools- Ksh 20 million has been directed towards digital infrastructure in schools. 3. Youth Empowerment Enormous empowerment of youth has been achieved through the NYS Program and the Youth Enterprise Development Fund where over 113 million has been disbursed to the youth. Under NYS, transformative programmes like the Huduma Kitchens, road upgrades and SACCOs have been implemented. Three SACCOs have been registered in Ol Kalou and Kipipiri with a total cash transfer of 7.3 million to the SACCOs. Overall the NYS project has registered and engaged about 3000 youth up to July 20164. Women EmpowermentJubilee has delivered on its promise to empower women through funding to grow their businesses and create job opportunities. Nationally the Women Enterprise Fund has disbursed over USD 50 Million, National Government Affirmative Action Fund over USD 127 Million, Uwezo Fund over USD 56 Million. Nyandarua county has benefited through these funds to the tune of 72 Million under NGAAF, 210 Million under Women Enterprise Fund and 104 Million under Uwezo fund. Mr Speaker, Through out independent Kenya’s history, no administration has focused its attention to the vulnerable citizen like the Jubilee Administration. Under the cash transfer framework close to 700 million has been disbursed to about 10,000 beneficiaries;now the aged and vulnerable can live in dignity.Mr Speaker, As you are well aware the Government has also deployed enormous resources in the area of energy and I am aware that in Nyandarua ,upwards of 36,000 homesteads have been reached with lighting under the Government “last mile” initiative; this is besides the lighting of primary schools and public streets lighting. Similar investments have been deployed in all other sectors whether its water, road network, environment and land. Clearly the fruits of transformation have been felt across all counties. Overall all services that touch on the lives of our people, are now not only closer to the people, but they are better and more impactful, helping change lives and livelihoods. The operationalization of Huduma centers across the Republic remain the greatest and most visible testament of the Government’s commitment to its people. In Nyandarua, the Government spent 84 million to construct the Huduma Center at Ol Kalou. Mr Speaker, As the life of the current Government comes to an end, you can conclude with pride, knowing you have served the people with dilligence, despite the many challenges of our new form of devolved Government. I am sure this has been a great learning experience and its my hope these learnings gathered will be carried forward in the execution of the plans the county Government has put in place. As we reflect on the many achievements, at both levels of Government, the need for sustainability and continuity should not escape us. Mr Speaker, His Excellency the President has pronounced himself on the need to continue the transformative journey towards a greater and better Kenya. You have been part of this transformation and your voice and efforts need to be brought to bear on the President’s vision. It is in this regard that i have enumerated the many achievements of the Jubileee Administration as they give us the Platform and the legitimacy to face the people and present the agenda of continuity.I urge you to arm yourselves adequately with information and data on these achievements and echo His Exellency the President’s message of continuity as you communicate to wananchi during this campaign period.We are in a political season; a season when emotions can run high,i urge you to be ambassadors of peace and unity. We have one huge responsibility before us, we need to encourage people to come out and vote with the one objective of 100% voter turn out. So let us focus on the big and strategic picture as espoused by H.E. the President – Kenya is bigger than all of us and so we must be careful to guard and protect this Great Nation.Once again I wish you well and thank you for having me as your guest.God Bless You"

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