President Uhuru Kenyatta with Deputy President William Ruto. Photo/PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday outlined the multi-billion projects his Government had both revived and implemented in Western Kenya saying he had delivered the promises he made to the people in the region.
In the last four years, his Government ejected Shs 500 million to bail Mumias Sugar company from its huge unpaid debts to the farmers and another Sh 300 million to Nzoia Sugar to pay its debtors including cane producers.
Besides the payout to the farmers, treasury also released much more money in Government efforts to revive the operations of Mumias Sugar and steer the miller back to profitability.
During the same period, said the President , the Government revived the collapsed Rai Paper (previously Panpaper Mills) leading to the current employment of 800 local people.
Speaking at State Lodge, Kakamega, during a morning interview with Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) Live and West FM-Live, the President said Rai Paper has a huge potential to employ many more local people when its third and fourth production lines are launched.
Its second line was commissioned on Wednesday –bringing the number of people to be employed to 1000. President Kenyatta opened the first line in December.
Besides the revival and bail-out of the three key companies , the Government has also constructed various key roads in all the four Counties of Kakamega, Busia, Vihiga and Bungoma to both open up the region and spur its economic growth.
These roads are either completed or in the last stages of construction and contracts given for many others .