DP William Ruto starts four-day Coast tour

Deputy President William Ruto on Thursday started a tour of the six coastal counties.

Distribution of food to drought-hit areas and several harambees — mainly for women's groups and the youth — are lined up in his busy programme, as well as public meetings meant to drum up support for the Jubilee Party ahead of next year’s elections.

He started his visit in Ganze and Rabai sub-counties, where he presided over two fundraising events for women and officially opened the Godoma Technical Institute in Sokoke.

On Friday, Mr Ruto is expected in Taita-Taveta County, where he will hold a harambee for women's groups in Wudanyi and thereafter open the Kishenyi dam before heading to Taveta.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Deputy President is slated to be in Kwale and Mombasa counties.

AIDFOR DROUGHT VICTIMS

Speaking in Mariakani on Thursday afternoon, Mr Ruto announced that the government had released Sh100 million to be distributed to residents affected by drought in Kilifi.

He said the county had also received 10,000 bags of maize, beans and other items to be distributed to the affected residents until the situation improves.

He announced that Sh70 million had also been released to revive the Kenya Meat Commission factory at Kibarani and another Sh50 billion for water supply in the region.

Out of this amount, Sh42 billion is earmarked for the Mzima Pipeline, Sh3 billion for Baricho waterworks and Sh1 billion for Mwache Dam, he said.

Mr Ruto appealed to coast residents to back Jubilee and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election, promising that they would reap “maximum benefits.’’

KILIFI COUNTY CORRUPTION

“We have shown you through the implementation of our Jubilee manifesto, which is the construction of roads, supplying of electricity, provision of education and maternity funds and a host of other development projects.

“In the last three years, 458 primary and secondary schools have been connected to electricity in Kilifi County, only 41 remain and these ones will have power by end of the year,” he said.

He was speaking at the Mariakani Milk Scheme grounds, where he presided over a harambee and donated Sh1 million and another Sh1 million from President Kenyatta.

He was accompanied by Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro, who donated Sh100,000.

Mr Ruto regretted the corruption reported in Kilifi County, saying the county received Sh9.6 billion per year to help the people but “most of the cash finds its way into private pockets”.

On infrastructure, the Deputy President said the Mariakani-Mavueni road had been completed at the cost of Sh3 billion while the Malindi-Sala Gate, Malindi-Marafa and Mariakani-Bamba roads will be completed next year.