DP William Ruto tours Vihiga with bag of goodies

Deputy President William Ruto on Sunday announced that the government intends to roll out several projects in Vihiga County as he begun a two-day tour of ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi's home turf.

The DP said five roads and a Sh1.8-billion water project are set to be built in the region.

He noted that the government is installing a Sh150-million CT scan machine at Vihiga County Referral Hospital, to be ready for use by the end of January.

A 3,000 affordable housing unit project in one of the carrots the DP is dangling to Vihiga residents.

Most projects are expected to be ready by the end of the 2019/20 financial year, Mr Ruto says.

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

The DP spoke in Hamisi during the homecoming party of Shamakhokho MCA Douglas Beru, who was elected through the Progressive Party of Kenya of former Governor Moses Akaranga.

Mr Ruto, who steered clear of politics, said construction of the Kapsabet-Chavakali highway that connects Eldoret and Kapsabet towns to Chavakali, Mbale and Kisumu will start in January.

He added that the government is also keen on completing the Luanda-Akala road, which stalled when it was 85 per cent complete.

Mr Ruto will today launch the construction of the 40km Ekwanda-Luanda road.

Two other roads, Gisambai-Shamakhokho and Mbale-Magada, will be included in the 2019/2020 budget, according to the DP.

Mr Ruto was accompanied by Mr Akaranga, Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo and Sports CS Rashid Echesa.

WATER SUPPLY

Also on his entourage were MPs Charles Gimose (Hamisi), Ben Shinali (Ikolomani), Didmus Baraza (Kimilili) and former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale.

“We want to improve the road infrastructure in this area,” Mr Ruto said, and added: “This county also has a big challenge of water supply. The Sh1.8 billion water project will be ready by June 2019 and will ensure adequate supply of water.”

The DP said construction of technical training institutes in Sabatia and Vihiga is complete, and that students will enrol from January.

The government, he said, will give each student a bursary of Sh30,000 and a loan of Sh40,000 for school fees.

“We want all youth to get technical education from January. All KCSE students will study in institutions of higher learning without their parents going through the struggle of paying fees,” he said.

TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS

“The construction of the 3,000 housing units in Vihiga will provide 15,000 job opportunities,” Mr Ruto said. “We will require plumbers, electricians, masons, and carpenters, among others. Our youth should go to these technical institutions to acquire the necessary expertise.”

The leaders who spoke at the event supported Mr Ruto’s 2022 presidential ambition and called on residents to back him.

Dr Khalwale faulted Mr Mudavadi and Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang'ula for skipping President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga’s tour of Kisumu County last week.