Hillary Barchok to be sworn-in as Bomet governor

Office of the Bomet Governor. Deputy Governor Hillary Barchok is set to be sworn in as third governor on August 8, 2019. PHOTO | VITALIS KIMUTAI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Deputy President William Ruto is expected to be the chief guest at Barchok's swearing-in ceremony at the Bomet Green Stadium in Sotik on Thursday.

Deputy Governor Hillary Barchok is set to to take up the instruments of power in Bomet, a week after Dr Joyce Laboso passed on.

Dr Barchok will become the third governor after the late Laboso and first governor Isaac Ruto.

Deputy President William Ruto is expected to be the chief guest at Barchok's swearing-in ceremony at the Bomet Green Stadium in Sotik on Thursday.

Kericho High Court Judge George Dullu will conduct the function, according to County Secretary Evalyne Rono.

DEVELOPMENT

Dr Barchok has big shoes to fill as his predecessor Laboso was praised for leaving behind a rich legacy.

Bomet Deputy Governor Hillary Barchok. He will be sworn-in as governor on August 8, 2019. PHOTO | VITALIS KIMUTAI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Before her death, Laboso set in motion a raft of development programmes with the main focus on water, agriculture, social services, education and health sectors.

At the time of her death on July 29, 79 new Early Childhood Education Centres (ECDE) had been set up with another 150 yet to be completed.

She also set up a Sh31 million revolving fund, managed by the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb), to advance to students from the county in tertiary institutions and universities.

The Laboso administration also saw the operationalisation of maternity wings at Cheptalal and Ndanai sub-county hospitals.

Laboso had also been keen on rolling out water projects in what she said would bring to an end years of suffering by women and girls fetching water for domestic use from local rivers and streams in far-flung areas.

According to Mr David Koech, the Chief Officer in charge of water department, the Bomet Water Company (Bomwasco) has increased water-meter connections from 8,900 to 14,000 households in the last two years.

Mr Koech stated that water projects so far completed include Muriasi/Kapset in Konoin Sub-County, Chemaner in Bomet East and Labotiet borehole water project in Chepalungu Sub-County.

Others that were upgraded and rehabilitated include Gelegele community water project, Sotik water supply, Kapchepkoro-Kaplong line and Sigor water supply. A new pump has also been installed to boost distribution at Kamureito water project.

“The World Bank has channelled Sh1.5 billion to upgrade and expand water pipelines to benefit residents of Longisa, Merigi, Chepkolon and Mulot trading centres to be implemented by the Rift Valley Water Service Board and the county government,” said Mr Koech.

Mr Koech added that designs for construction of a Sh270 million water supply system to benefit 90,000 residents in Kimulot and Chepchabas wards in Konoin Sub-County funded by the county government and Kenya Red Cross were being worked on.

Dr Laboso also rolled out various empowerment projects for farmers in the region as sought to rebrand the county as a “dairy county”.

Farmers were supplied with seedlings --77,000 tissue culture banana, 61,000 avocado and 46,400 mango-- in a bid to encourage locals to diversify farming activities in the region and maximise profits from their investments.

County Executive in charge of Agriculture Joseph Tuwei said various programmes are under implementation including provision of artificial insemination (AI) services to farmers in the county to upgrade their dairy stock and increase milk production.

Trade CEC Erick Ngetich said the county in partnership with a cooperative society would upgrade Iria Maina hydroelectric project to supply local tea factories and residents with electricity.