The long-overdue construction of the Rironi-Mau Summit Road is set to commence in August, as announced by President William Ruto.
The President stated that the design work and other technical aspects of the project are nearly complete, with groundbreaking scheduled for two months’ time.
“We have agreed with the contractors to speed up the project and complete it by 2027. If not, they should have done a substantial portion of it by that time,” he said.
He made these remarks while hosting a delegation of leaders from Nakuru County at State House, Nairobi, on Wednesday.
Attendees included Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika, Trade and Investments Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui, and other leaders.
President Ruto explained that the Rironi-Mau Summit Road will feature four lanes from Rironi to Naivasha town, as well as improvements to the Maai Mahiu-Naivasha road.
The road will then expand to six lanes from Naivasha town to Nakuru City to adequately accommodate the high volume of traffic on this route.
Regarding the stalled Itare Dam project in Kuresoi North Constituency, President Ruto announced that the government has reached an agreement with the Italian Government to resume construction by the end of the year.
“When complete, this dam will solve the persistent water shortages being faced by the people of Nakuru City,” he said.
Concerning road infrastructure, the President highlighted that the government has allocated KSh2.5 billion to complete stalled projects in the county.
Additionally, he announced that KSh2.5 billion has been set aside to connect 21,000 households to electricity under the Last Mile Electricity Connectivity Programme.
“We have agreed with contractors that they must complete them by this December so that we move to the next phase,” he stated.
He also mentioned that the government is working to resolve a contractual dispute that has stalled the construction of Lanet Airport in Nakuru.
With military assistance, President Ruto affirmed that the government will complete Afraha Stadium and construct a new stadium at Olenguruone.
Furthermore, he indicated that plans to establish the Naivasha Special Economic Zone are progressing well.
“We have bought 5,000 acres in Naivasha to develop infrastructure in readiness for this project,” he said
On education, President Ruto announced that counties can now begin issuing bursaries following a cooperation agreement between county governments and the Office of the Controller of Budget.
He noted that the Social Health Authority has funded health services for 4.5 million Kenyans in the past eight months, costing KSh41 billion. The President encouraged Nakuru leaders to promote registration with the SHA, as only 35 per cent of the county’s population is currently registered.
Additionally, he urged leaders to raise awareness among young people about job opportunities available abroad.
“Every month, over 10,000 Kenyans are leaving to work abroad. In the past two years, 400,000 young Kenyans have found jobs abroad. Prepare them to work anywhere in the world,” he stated.
Finally, he called on police officials in Nakuru to take decisive action to ensure the security of the county and eliminate criminal gangs that are terrorising residents.
“Security of Kenyans and their property is their constitutional right. Whether criminals are in civilians or uniform, they must be dealt with decisively,” he said.
Other leaders in attendance included Senator Tabitha Karanja, current and former MPs, and MCAs.
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