By PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged residents of Kilifi County to vote for him and his Jubilee team, saying members of the opposition are not the agents of change they claim to be.
The President said, unlike his administration which has a solution to the development needs of the nation and seeks to build on the transformational foundation that is delivering direct benefits to Kenyans, the opposition is focused on advancing their individual interests.
“The choice for Kenyans in the August polls will be between the Jubilee’s economic progression and the opposition’s retrogressive politics,” President Kenyatta said
He added: “We have an agenda for Kenya. We have an agenda for Kilifi. We have an agenda for Malindi – an agenda to make the lives of our people better and to bring prosperity to our nation. We have an agenda to bring our people together.”
The President slammed the opposition for trying to take the country backwards in the belief that the only way to ascend to power is by to divide Kenyans on tribal lines, saying their propaganda and lies will not prevail.
Speaking today on the campaign swing in Malindi where he addressed a huge rally, President Kenyatta asked the residents not to be duped into voting for the opposition who are out to benefit themselves at the expense of delivering development for Kenyans.
He emphasised that the Jubilee agenda is to spread development across the country for the benefit of all 45 million Kenyans.
“We have implemented more projects in Kilifi County during the short duration we’ve been in office than all previous governments and we want to continue with the same trend until we address all your development needs,” President Kenyatta said.
The President – who was accompanied by Deputy President William Ruto and other Jubilee leaders – said it is upon Kenyans now to decide on August 8 whether they will follow the opposition’s direction driven by divisive politics and hatred or the Jubilee’s direction that provides hope for the future.
Deputy President Ruto said the opposition has sensed defeat and want to use courts to delay the election.
“But we are telling them that Kenyans are ready for the elections and will not allow them be delayed beyond the August 8 date,” the DP said, as he drummed up support for Jubilee in the historic town of Malindi.
President Kenyatta assured residents of the Coastal town that his administration will solve the problem of squatters the same way it has done in other parts including those in the Waitiki farm who are now proud owners of their parcels of land.
The President also discounted he opposition for saying his administration intends to grab land for the expansion of Malindi International airport, assuring residents that all those whose land will be used will be compensated adequately.
President Kenyatta and his deputy also spoke on the developments they have initiated in the county, including the construction of major roads to boost the economy of the county and lift the lives of the residents.
President Kenyatta last September launched the Kshs 4.2 billion State-funded construction of the 110-kilometre Malindi-Sala Gate, one of the key roads that will boost tourism and promote the economy for the benefit of residents.
Early this year, President Kenyatta flagged of the tarmacking of the famous Mariakani-Bamba road at a cost of Kshs 2.1 billion when he visited the town of Bamba, immortalised by the song “Safari ya Bamba ni Machero”.
With the tarmacking of the 45 km road, the journey to Bamba will no longer be a difficult one – providing the much-needed relief to residents who had waited for it for decades.
In march, President Kenyatta also launched construction of the Kshs 1.5 billion Marikebuni-Majengo-Marafa road, the upgrading to bitumen standards of the 35-kilometre Kaloleni-Kilifi road at a cost of Kshs 2.3 billion as well as the Kshs 2.3 billion Kakuyuni-Gongoni and Kakuyuni-Kilifi pipeline project that will provide water to over 300,000 residents among other projects impacting positively on the lives of the residents.
On electricity, the President pointed out that his administration has increased connection to households in Kilifi County from 13,000 before 2013 to the current 73,958. Some 403 primary schools have also been connected to electricity in the county through the Last Mile Connectivity project.
President Kenyatta also spoke of the milestones his administration has achieved towards making health care affordable, particularly specialised health care provision for Kenyans.
In Kilifi County, the Jubilee administration has invested Kshs 810 million under the Managed Equipment Services (MES) to install modern medical equipment to Malindi Level 5 Hospital and Kilifi Level 4 Hospital through the Managed Equipment Services (MES) project to ensure residents have access to specialised health care that was previously out of their reach.
President Kenyatta now intends to expand the free maternity service to include provision of free National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) medical cover for one year for mother and child upon delivery in public health facilities.
“These are some of the projects that we want to continue implementing so that we complete the journey we have embarked on to transform the Coast region and the whole country. That is why we are seeking your votes and support to enable us do that,” President Kenyatta said.
President Kenyatta and his deputy were accompanied by a host of Coast leaders including Members of Parliament Harrison Kombe (Magarini), Gideon Mungaro (Kilifi North), Mustafa Idd (Kilifi South), Peter Shehe (Ganze) as well as Tana River Governor Hussein Dado, Kilifi Deputy Governor Kenneth Kamto and Jubilee aspirants for various posts in the county.
The Coast Jubilee leaders said the ground has shifted in the Coastal region in favour of Jubilee.