President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday visited Elgeyo Marakwet for the second time in one week to urge residents of the County to rally behind his re-election bid.
President Kenyatta, who was accompanied by Deputy President William Ruto, said the Jubilee Administration has delivered the promises it made to the people of the county especially on the construction of roads, which were neglected for many decades.
Jubilee leaders from the county, as well as residents, assured the President that they were in complete support of the Jubilee Government.
“All the roads you requested for when we came into Government have been completed or their construction is going on,” said the President when he addressed thousands of supporters at the Iten Stadium.
The President said the County has also benefited from the upgrade of two hospitals, expansion of access to electricity, free maternity services as well as reforms in the education sector and other social support programs.
Roads whose construction have been completed include Chesoi-Chesongoch which was done ay the cost of Sh249.9 million, Iten-Kapsowar Phase 1-Iten – Bugar road (Sh656.5 million), Iten-Kapsowar Phase 2 -Kapsowar – Chebiemit road (Sh1.4 billion), and the periodic Maintenance of Eldoret – Nyaru – Kamwosor at the cost of Sh206.5 million.
Roads under construction in the county include the upgrading of Tirap-Embobut Bridge-Jn B4 Road to Bitumen Standard at the cost of Sh1.4 billion and which is 92 percent complete. Another road under construction is the Nyaru – Iten road at the cost of Sh2.4 billion.
Other roads whose construction are at the procurement stage include Chugor – Chesongoi – Tot road that will cost Sh873.3 million, Bugar – Chebiemit & Tachasis – Bugar road (Sh1.2 billion) and Moiben -Cheborwa- Kapcherop – Kachibora road which will cost the Government Sh2.9 billion.
The Deputy President urged the residents of the county to stay united and to continue rallying behind President Kenyatta, adding that some of the highest-ranking civil servants in Government hail from Elgeyo Marakwet County.
“I want to tell you that the people of this county are 100 percent behind you and they want the good work the Jubilee Government is doing to go on,” said the DP.
Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said the people of the county are grateful for the construction of roads within the county including the one that runs through Kerio Valley to Tot.
He said the people of the county appreciate that Henry Rotich, a son of the county holds the high-ranking position of Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury. He said there are many more people from the county who hold senior positions in the Government.
The Senator hit out at the leaders of the opposition whom he accused of fighting for personal benefits instead of striving for the betterment of all Kenyans.
“The leaders of the opposition are sitting in big hotels fighting for IEBC contracts and tenders while President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto have been busy working for the development of Kenya,” said Mr Murkomen.
Earlier in the day President Kenyatta visited West Pokot County where he urged residents to abandon cultural practices that breed conflicts and instead channel their energies for the progress of the community and development of the country.
When he spoke in Kiwawa and Konyao, the President promised residents that West Pokot would be one of the first counties he will visit after the elections,
“I want to work with you to solve the issues affecting you,” the President said when he addressed a mammoth rally at Makutano. He assured the people of the county that no region will be left behind in development.
While the President was leading the Jubilee campaigns in Kiwawa, Konyao and Makutano, the Deputy President was spearheading another team in other parts of the vast West Pokot County.
The President and the DP teamed at Iten in Elgeyo Marakwet from where they drove by road into Uasin Gishu to meet and address supporters at many stops including at Marura and Chepkoilel junction.By PSCU