All we need to do, which I know we will do, is to persist in and redouble our efforts. [Photo|Courtesy]Vihiga Woman Representative Beatrice Adagala joined other leaders in sending out new year message to Kenyans as they joined the rest of the world in welcoming 2018.Below is her message."We appreciate God for all the blessings of 2017. Although it has been a very difficult year for most of our people, there are definitely things to thank God for. I am grateful to you all for the love and support this year. When I presented myself to you as a candidate and asked you to vote for me during the August polls, I wanted to be a leader who keeps her promises. I wanted to be a leader who restores the people’s hope in those elected to serve them. I wanted to be a leader who initiates positive and enduring change. I am totally committed to being that kind of leader. My election to the national assembly has not alienated me from your daily sufferings. I am aware that our people have experienced a number of significant hardships over the past months. Most of our people cannot afford the basic needs. There are many who, through no fault of their own, are without jobs and are forced to beg and depend on others for their livelihood, with all the negative consequences this has on their dignity as human beings. There are many who are sick, some of whom will succumb to preventable diseases. There are others who are still exposed to crimes and violence. These include abused children and women who are brutally raped and beaten up in our towns and our villages.I am also very concerned that too many of our people are dying and sustaining permanent injury's unnecessarily, because of accidents on our roads. I would therefore, once again, appeal to every road user, both drivers and pedestrians, to respect what we all say, that this is a Season of Goodwill. That goodwill must mean that we take all the necessary measures to protect the health and lives of all road users, including our own.Regardless of all this, my message for the new-year is of hope. Our duty is to ensure that we do what we must do for the sake of our future. The New Year will continue to confront us with the challenge to make our own contribution, however small to advance our cause. None of us should shirk his responsibility wherever it may face us. As we end one year and begin another, we must commit ourselves to continued peace and friendship among all our people, to further economic and social progress, and new successes in our sustained effort to reduce and eradicate poverty. What we must achieve as we advance into this year is visible progress towards a better life for all. I am certain that we will, indeed, further raise the standard of living and the quality of life of many of our people. All we need to do, which I know we will do, is to persist in and redouble our efforts.On this day, my heart and best wishes also go to all those of our people who will not have the possibility to celebrate the advent of the New Year because of ill health and other problems.May you all have a happy and prosperous New Year. Hon. Beatrice Adagala."

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