Here's the State of the County Address speech by H.E Hon Governor William Kabogo to Kiambu County Assembly Members at the
Assembly's Chambers in Kiambu:
"MR. SPEAKER SIR,
HON. MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY ASSEMBLY,
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I begin today by applauding the members of the County Assembly for
upholding the practice of participating in the annual state of the
County address. This occasion, as anticipated by our Law, affords me a
singular opportunity, to inform the residents of Kiambu County and the
Kenyan citizens at large, of the progress we have made towards
fulfilling our commitments to them.
Towards that end, my address
to you today will focus on our basic priority areas such as education,
agriculture, infrastructure, health care, trade and industry and the
empowerment of youth, women and persons with disabilities.
This is
not to say that we have neglected other responsibilities bestowed upon
us either by law or by practice. On the contrary, we have given each and
every function under our care equal attention. I have however chosen to
focus on these areas because of the comparative impact that they have
on the lives of the common citizen.
Mr. Speaker, Hounourable Members,
The Constitution demands that the National government periodically
transfers funds to Counties to enable them conduct their affairs
smoothly. Nonetheless, we are all aware that these funds, however
promptly disbursed, or meticulously expended, cannot sustain the needs
of this County.
On the contrary, we firmly believe that local
revenue generation is the lifeblood of our economy. We have therefore
put in place various measures aimed at increasing locally generated
revenues.
Allow me at this juncture, to mention a few of these interventions:
Firstly, we have integrated ICT in our financial management system by
installing an automated receipting and business intelligence system.
We have been able to consolidate the legacy system LAIFOMS from 8
former local authorities into one central system thereby establishing a
single trustworthy source of information with the ability to track all
revenue collection on a real time basis.
This County now boasts of a self-help portal; accessible on www.digitika.kiambu.go.ke, where our citizens can log in and request for services from the county and effect payments online.
We also support different modes of payment including MPESA, Airtel
money, Visa and MasterCard and have eliminated all forms of manual
payments, with all departments adopting the IFMIS and e-procurement
systems with a view to further minimize tampering and fraud usually
endemic in procurement processes.
Moreover, we will be issuing an
initial 100,000 residents with the Visa-Enabled Kiambu County Cards,
which will be used for various fee payments to the County Government but
can also be used on other platforms such as matatu fare payment and
online shopping, amongst others.
Our investments in these measures
have yielded great results. I am pleased to report that our revenue
collection as at May 2014 stood at Ksh. 1.1 Billion compared to Ksh. 2.3
billion in May 2016. This represents a 109% increase in local revenue
collection is expected to keep growing during this and subsequent years.
This great progress has not gone unnoticed. It has earned us great
repute and tremendous support from local and international agencies. We
continue to enjoy widespread recognition by other County Governments
for spearheading the implementation of one of the most effective and
transparent revenue collection systems and serve as a great success
story; amidst numerous challenges, for the rest of the Country.
Roads, Transport Public Utilities.
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members,
We all know the numerous possibilities that can result from linking
communities through construction of a robust road network within a
County. There is no doubt within us that cheap and efficient movement of
goods and services rewards diligent workers, enriches the land and
deepens cooperation between our Counties.
To ensure that Kiambu
residents inch closer to the full enjoyment of these benefits, we have
spared no efforts in opening up new roads and improving existing ones.
Farmers can now reach hitherto unreachable customers with ease.
Children spend less time moving between home and school and more time
focusing on their education. Expectant mothers and those burdened by
disease have easier access to hospitals and other health centres, while
the number of traders, tourists and investors continue to expand.
These socio-economic developments though still at nascent stages, are
testament to us that we made the right choice in rehabilitating
approximately 1400KMs of rural access roads and initiated the
construction of new and modern roads in various parts of the County.
In the coming year therefore, we have budgeted for the conversion of
certain single carriageways into dual carriageways; and the construction
of several motorable bridges, pedestrian paths and bus parks in various
parts of the County.
Concurrently with this, my administration has
installed 275 street lights using 80Watt energy saving LED across seven
urban centres in the County with the installation of over 70 high masts
using 200 Watt LED currently ongoing.
These installations, whose
cumulative effect is the reduction of power bills by almost 50%, have
been strategically located in shopping centres, market centres,
hospitals, schools, informal settlements and police stations with the
aim of increasing security across the County, extending learning hours
for school children and trading hours for local businessmen.
My
administration also continues to maintain and repair the existing 139
High Masts and 3,300 street lights across the county to ensure improved
lighting for, and enhanced safety of, our residents.
Fire safety
and rescue has not been relegated to the back. On the contrary, we have
increased our fire engine fleet by a further 5 trucks and are in the
process of constructing three 24 hr fire stations in Githunguri, Limuru,
Thika, Kiambaa and Ruiru Sub-Counties.
Water and Sanitation
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members:
Allow me to report on a resource that is as vital, as it is finite.
Water is at the core of sustainable development. It is critical for
human survival and vital for reducing the burden of disease and
improving health, welfare and productivity of our population. Yet in
many parts of this County, as in the global spectrum, access to clean
and safe water remains a challenge.
Our response to these challenges comes in many forms.
Today, more than 3,000 residents from Thogoto are benefiting from
improved water services as a result of the construction and
rehabilitation of water tanks and kiosks. The Gachie Water Project in
Kiambaa is up and running- benefitting more than 5,000 residents.
We have completed the construction of an elevated 100 cubic meter water
tank in Tinganga ward and are carrying out trench work and pipe laying
in 3 other wards.
A pump house has been completed in Kikuyu and
Kabete Sub-County and new water pipes installed in the Mwiki - Githurai
Area . The Juja Salama
borehole is now operational giving over 200
families access to clean and safe water. We have also rehabilitated the
Lussigetti community borehole in Nachu Ward and Mwiki borehole, both of
which are now fully operational.
This is not to say that our work
is done. Indeed, we are aware of how much more we need to accomplish.
For this reason, plans are underway to install a high performance water
treatment plant that will serve upto 600 residents of Ngoliba ward.
Similarly, we will construct a 100m3 storage tank that will have 1200
connections and serve the entire Kinyathena community in Juja.
Further works are also currently ongoing at the Ondiri Water Project,
which, once complete, will serve Gikambura and Karai areas, supplying
more than 5,000 residents with safe and adequate water and at the Ruiru
sewerage plant, which will serve about 70,000 households.
With only
five registered dumpsites, we recognize that there is a huge problem in
waste management. Several initiatives have therefore been implemented
including the development of a Semi-Aerobic Landfill in Thika. The
Kiambu and Limuru Dumpsite Rehabilitation is complete and others are
presently under rehabilitation. We have also repaired old garbage
trucks, procured new skips and deployed them to various Sub-Counties to
assist in the maintenance of a clean and healthy environment.
Health
Mr. Speaker , Honourable Members,
I wish to move on now to the progress made in the provision of quality,
affordable and easily accessible healthcare within the County.
You
are aware that my administration inherited several dilapidated health
facilities. As in the previous years, we have continued to invest
heavily in rehabilitating these hospitals in order to ensure that they
are capable of delivering world-class services to our people.
In
this regard, renovation works are currently underway in 15 health
facilities ranging from Level 4 Hospitals to dispensaries across the
County.
In addition to this, we have constructed a total of 21
mother and child health clinics and are in the final stages of
completing a 400-bed capacity reproductive health wing at Thika level 5
hospital. These interventions will be of great benefit to mothers and
their newborn babies, by not only reducing the infant and maternal
mortality ratios, but by enabling expectant mothers to attain the care
they need, at prices they can afford, in places accessible to them.
At the same time, we have procured and distributed medical equipment to
86 facilities. This equipment includes diagnostic laboratory equipment,
delivery beds, dental chairs, theatre equipment, patients monitors,
digital Blood pressure and weighing machines, infant incubators and
maternity and child health equipment.
With respect to
non-communicable diseases, I am pleased to report that this
administration will soon be opening a center for excellence in
management of diseases such as cancer, diabetes and hypertension at the
Gatundu level 4 hospital. Efforts are also underway to put in place a
reproductive health unit in Thika level 5 hospital, a trauma center in
Lari level 4 hospital and a pediatric center in Tigoni hospital.
Additionally, we have deployed ambulances to all major health centers.
It is our hope that each level 4, level 5, high workload level 3 and all
12 sub Counties will have adequate ambulance and referral services. We
anticipate the delivery of 8 more ambulances within the year in
addition to those procured in the previous financial year to boost these
services.
In keeping with the times, we will oversee the
computerization of all health centers before the end of this financial
year and automate 75% of our facilities in the next financial year.
The county government is also collaborating with the private sector on
health matters. This year, we signed an MOU with Max Health Care from
India, that will see Kiambu residents access health care in hospitals in
India for cases that cannot be treated in our hospitals. This agreement
assures residents of special tariffs inclusive of flight, accommodation
and the cost of medical care. In addition, Kiambu residents will also
enjoy on-site surgeries for cases that cannot be handled here by
specialists from India.
These efforts, while laudable, are still
far from satisfactory. A lot more remains to be done in this sector, as
in various other sectors. My pledge to you therefore is that we will
continue to work tirelessly to ensure that no resident of Kiambu County
shoulders an unfair burden while in search of medicare. We will
continue, in the next financial year, to improve hospital infrastructure
and to purchase modern health care equipment. Room for dialogue between
my administration and health workers will remain open and no efforts
will be spared in commissioning new programmes aimed at addressing
recurrent health problems within the County.
Agriculture, Livestock And Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, Honorable Members:
Agriculture is the mainstay of most of our people. Many residents of
this County depend on farming revenue to pay school fees, access health
care and sustain their livelihoods. Yet for centuries, agriculture has
failed to uplift the living standards of our residents.
My administration has employed various initiatives to address the perennial challenges facing this sector.
First and foremost, we have identified specific sectors requiring
urgent farmer empowerment. These include, greenhouse farming, macadamia
and avocado grafting, fish farming, bee keeping, tissue culture, and
banana and rabbit production.
To ensure our farmers excel in these
target sectors, we have rolled out several training programmes. Over
3,500 farmers have been trained on agronomic practices of crop
management. 1,000 farmers have been trained on banana production. More
than 3000 farmers have been trained on rabbit rearing. 200 farmers have
been trained in the cottage industry and many more training
opportunities have been made available to farmers with a view to
enhancing their capacity to engage in vibrant and sustainable
agricultural practices.
Secondly, we have focussed our efforts on
revamping promising sub-sectors. As you are aware, Kiambu County
produces not only the highest amount of rabbit meat in Kenya (107.8 MT
in 2014) but is also the highest milk-producer with 800 million liters
of milk produced in 2015. Yet our potential to soar to greater heights
has remained untapped. We have therefore embarked on deliberate
activities to bolster production in both subsectors. In this regard, we
have purchased a meat processor worth 3 million and rehabilitated the
rabbit slaughter house. Additionally, we have installed 8 bulk milk
coolers with a combined capacity of 22,000 litres and 1 Pasteurizer of
500 litres per hour capacity to serve our farmers.
Hides, skins
& leather development remain one of the key investment areas for our
country. However, while Kenya currently earns approximately Kes 9
Billion from this sector, only about 2,5% is attributable to Kiambu
County, and we need to change these statistics. We have therefore
invested in the training of our very own cobblers with the hope that
they will be able to tap into the opportunities in the higher spectrum
of the leather value chain and increase the production of finished
leather goods thereby increasing our competitiveness in this industry.
Access to quality seeds and farm inputs is at the core of ensuring
small holder farmer success through increased yields. To this end, the
County Government has invested in the purchase and distribution of seeds
such as legume seeds of cowpeas, beans and green grams worth 4M
distributed to 2000 farmers in the lower region of Thika, Juja and
Ruiru Sub counties. Planting seed, fertilizer, training on rearing of
dairy goats and indigenous chicken worth 11 Million have also been
supplied to over 8,000 vulnerable families in arid and semi arid areas
of Kikuyu and Limuru .
Education & Social Services
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members
It behooves me at this juncture, to pose for a moment, and convey my
gratitude to this Honourable house for your unwavering support during
the allocation of funds for the Kiambu Education Bursary to aid needy
students within the County.
I believe that I do not speak out of
step when I say that many of us here today understand only too well the
value of lending a helping hand to a child who yearns for education but
is constrained by circumstances that are not of their own making. As the
Governor, it is my intention, with your support, to continue with this
noble endeavor in the years to come.
The impact of the Education
Bursary Fund on the lives of bright but needy students has been
tremendous. Since its inception, a total of Ksh. 247 Million has so far
been disbursed to deserving students.
The education sector has also
benefited on other fronts. In the course this year, we have completed
the refurbishment of 25 ECDE centres and 25 youth polytechnics. We have
procured and delivered tools and equipment worth Kes. 54 million to all
the 31 polytechnics with each institution receiving equipment worth Kes
1.8 million. These investments have seen a rise in the number of
students enrolling in different institutions thereby expanding this
Counties human resource and its ability to attract further industries
and investments into our economy.
Finally, in a bid to increase
literacy levels amongst our children, we have constructed and fully
equipped a new library in Nachu ward and Githunguri Youth Empowerment
Center. As I address you today, we are equipping 5 other Youth
Empowerment Centers and constructing new facilities in sub Counties that
do not have these centres. In addition to this, we have embarked on a
school-feeding programme that is currently benefiting 491 ECD centres.
Youth Sports Affairs
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members
Sporting activities have become a source of pride for this Government
because our youth have demonstrated excellence across the board.
I
am pleased to report today that Kiambu All Stars are currently
participating in the Kenya Premier League Division One League.
We
also participated in the KICOSCA Games in August 2015 and emerged 3rd
place overall. Our mens Volleyball, Basket Ball, Darts and Table Tennis
teams as well as Womens netball and draughts teams excelled
tremendously, with four of these teams proceeding to the East African
championships in Kigali.
To facilitate these young men and women,
my administration has upgraded Thika, Ruiru, Limuru and Kirigiti
stadiums and trained 120 football referees and coaches and another 120
volleyball referees and coaches to officiate County leagues and matches
at the ward level.
With respect to youth empowerment, you will
recall that we established a Youth, Women and Persons with Disabilities
Enterprise Fund in 2014. In the past three years, we have seen
successful applicants through a rigorous financial training boot camp to
ensure they are skilled in basic financial management and soft business
management skills prior to disbursement of funds.
We have trained and issued certificates to over 2000 youths on technical skills such as plumbing, masonry, domestic electrical
installations and carpentry among others and expect to kick off the
training of 1000 females from 1st June 2016 on skills relevant to the
construction industry.
The Fund has also successfully disbursed over
KES177 million to individuals, women groups and SACCOs, with a reach of
over 4oo members, and a default rate of less than 6% with some of the
members already having repaid their facilities in full, we believe that
we are on the right track with the Fund and will continue to forge new
partnerships to ensure its continued success.
In addition to this,
we have made investments ranging from the distribution of generators and
water tanks to women groups involved in agri-business, the
rehabilitation of cultural and tourism centres, the construction of
local markets, bodaboda and jua kali shades and the inspection, audit,
registration and revival of several cooperatives.
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members:
I wish to focus my attention now to matters of land and housing.
Like many Counties, housing development in this County had hitherto been grossly mismanaged.
One of our key priorities has therefore been to conduct a comprehensive
audit of poorly developed buildings in selected areas of the County and
issue directives on how to remedy these situations.
We have been
able to speed up the delivery of services to a level that is yet to be
surpassed by any other County. As I speak with you today, we have
cleared all the back log of building applications that have delayed
construction in the County for the past many years, with all minor
applications comprising of Bungalows and Maissonettes due for clearance
within 14 days.
Together with our partners, we have embarked on an
informal settlements improvement programme, through which two informal
settlements - Gachagi and Umoja estates will undergo various
infrastructure upgrades that will include roadworks and street lighting.
In addition to this, we are in the process of finalising a robust
Housing Policy and urban renewal models as well as procedures to
regularize old developments that were not compliant with planning
regulations.
The department has also prepared a Spatial Plan
through a consultative process. The plan identifies the countys resource
bases and their potential as a basis for urban development through the
integration between sectors such as housing, transport, energy and
industry.
To give effect to these policies, a set of bills
governing Spatial-planning Bill, Survey and mapping Bill are currently
under development and will soon be tabled before you for debate.
Ladies and gentlemen:
We firmly believe in embracing technology, especially technology that
leads to smart outcomes. We plan to digitize all land records and review
our valuation roll to include areas previously omitted by the defunct
local authorities.
The County Government has also signed an Advisory
Agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to automate
the E-Development System. This web-based system will improve our
capacity to receive and process all development or building plan
applications in an efficient and transparent manner.
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members of this Assembly, Ladies & Gentlemen:
A lot still lies ahead of us. As we begin the next financial year, it
is important to remember that fundamentally, our mission is to serve
those who have entrusted us with the offices that we currently hold. Our
service to them will only come to bear when we succeed in creating
better opportunities for them, whether in economic, social or political
spheres.
No doubt we will have differences of opinion along the
way. But we must endeavour always, to remain true to our call to serve.
On my part, as a result of the enlightening lessons that we have picked
up along the way over the last three years, I am fortified in the belief
that our great strength perhaps our only real strength is our unity
and solidarity. I therefore complete this address by reiterating my
commitment to the unity and prosperity of this great County and call
upon all of you to continue to embrace the collaborative spirit that has
brought us this far.
May God bless you all."
