Local leaders want President Kenyatta to address falling maize prices, displacement of families and unemployment when he visits the county Friday.
Mr Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto are scheduled to open a three-day investors’ conference and exhibition in Kapsabet.
They will also issue over 20,000 title deeds to residents who have never owned the documents since independence.
County leaders want President Kenyatta to order for the issuance of title deeds to farmers in six sub-counties and to compensate victims of the 2008 post-election violence from the region.
Tinderet MP Julius Melly Thursday said he expects the President to help more than 50,000 people get title deeds.
Land officials have been in Tinderet for the past few weeks demarcating plots ahead of the President’s issuance of titles.
Mr Melly said the families spirited out of government-owned forests in 2006 remain unsettled and most were squatters on road reserves while their children had dropped out of school.
UNABLE TO GET LOANS
Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter said poverty remained high in the county because farmers were unable to get loans from banks because they lacked title deeds to use as security.
Pastor Daniel Maina, the co-ordinator of IDPs in Nandi Central Sub-County yesterday said the people evicted from forests and those displaced by clashes had suffered long enough. He claimed they had not been compensated like their counterparts in other counties.
“Victims of the 2008 violence from Nandi Central, Tinderet and Serengonik want the government to speed up their compensation to ensure their families are fully settled,” the pastor added. Families displaced from forests include members of Ndorobo and Ogiek communities.
“The families were evicted from the Tinderet forest 10 years ago and their children have since dropped out of school because their parents don’t have proper income,” said Mr Joshua Kuto, the chairman of the Ogiek forest evictees organisation.
They asked the government to provide mobile clinics to the affected families to reduce water-borne and communicable diseases.
President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto are scheduled to open a three-day investors’ conference and exhibition in Kapsabet.
Hon Zipporah Kering Member of the National Assembly (Women rep) for Nandi County addressing the guests
Hon Zipporah Kering Member of the National Assembly (Women rep) for Nandi County addressing the guests and Exhibitors at Kapsabet showground during this first day of Nandi County Investment Conference and Exhibition,Hon Kering thanked God for the Event, she also thanked the County Government of Nandi under the leadership of H.E Dr Cleophas Lagat and his Deputy H.E Dominic Biwott for organizing the first ever Investment Conference and Exhibition, Hon Kering appealed all the investors to invest in Nandi County as the County present alot of potentials for investments, she also assured the investors of comfort and security in the county
Linah Chebii Kilimo, the chairperson of Anti-Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Board addressing the guests
Linah Chebii Kilimo, the chairperson of Anti-Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Board addressing the guests and Exhibitors at Kapsabet showground during this first day of Nandi County Investment Conference and Exhibition, Chebii highlighted the significance of women in Investment by justifying that, Development Investments are centered on human resource where women are vital in nurturing a wholistic development of human, Chebii also applauded the County Government of Nandi for being at forefront in fighting against Female circumcision, however she further appealed for absolute end to Female Genital Mutilation as the vice compromises female health during birth delivery. In conclusion Chebii appreciated H.E the Governor for the good leadership in his county
Kaptel warriors entertainers and Nandi County choir entertaining guests
Kaptel warriors entertainers and Nandi County choir entertaining today’s guests during this first day of Nandi County Investment Conference and Exhibition.
Mr Kemei is the Event Master of Ceremony
Excellency Arap Kemei during our Nandi County Investment Conference and Exhibition,Mr Kemei is the Event Master of Ceremony on this first day of the Nandi County Investment Conference and Exhibition.
The Nandi County Investment Conference and Exhibition is now ongoing
The Nandi County Investment Conference and Exhibition is now ongoing at Kapsabet Show ground, Exhibitors and guests invited began arriving as early as yesterday, this is a clear foreshadow of a successful event which officially commences today and will come to its conclusion on Friday 10th when H.E The President together with his deputy will grace the Event. Welcome all
Nandi County will next week host its inaugural investor conference and exhibition in Kapsabet.
Nandi County will next week host its inaugural investor conference and exhibition in Kapsabet.
President Kenyatta and deputy William Ruto are lined up to open the conference next Friday.
The conference opens to the public at the Kapsabet showground two days before.
While in Nandi, the President and his deputy will also issue about 20,000 title deeds to long-suffering locals.
The deeds will highlight the Uhuru administration’s efforts to consolidate political support for the county that voted heavily for Jubilee during the last General Election.
But Nandi officials are down-playing the politics and are instead drumming up trade, tourism, housing and agro-business.
Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat and the county assembly have passed legislation on land tailor-made to move Nandi County out of the shadows of neighbouring Uasin Gishu County capital Eldoret.
They hope to elevate Kapsabet town into a metropolis well-serviced by water, electricity and roads.
AMENITIES
“Residents selling land in the county now have to make sure that they provide for amenities such as roads, electricity and water on such land.
“This is aimed at raising the people’s living standards,” Dr Lagat said in an interview with Nation ahead of the summit.
“Nandi County is ready to welcome genuine investors and investment,” the governor said.
Nandi County is nicknamed the ‘Sources of Champions’ due to its pre and post independence production of world-beating distance runners such as the legendary Olympic gold medalist Kipchoge Keino.
The county has a population of about 800,000 people and major urban centres include Nandi Hills, Kobujoi, Kaptumo, Mosoriot, Kabiyet and Maraba.
Besides agriculture, at next week’s investor summit, Nandi County will be seeking to attract investors in education, tourism and sports.
“We face a huge challenge in the hospitality industry and this should be an advantage to investors,” he said.
County Government meets local investors.
The County Government today met with local investor’s from the county in readiness for the Investment Conference to be attended by the President among other dignitaries. H.E the Deputy Governer outlined some of the proposed projects which include:
- Development of a commercial center that is manufacturing oriented at Mlango.
- Development of a milk processing factory around Mosoriot.
- A well planned Administrative city in Kapsabet with well planned residential areas.
- A resort city in Nandi hills for comfort and relaxation since it is surrounded by Tea fields and Koitaleel Samoei mausoleum.
- Holiday homes in chepsangor area.
- A university in Nandi Hills whose foundation stone will be laid down by H.E the President on Friday 10th April.
- In Tindiret coffee production is increased and investing in a coffee milling plant will make economic sense.
- An investor in sugar milling since there is no factory currently in the County.
The event was sponsored by Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM)
Governor’s Invitation to county investment conference
“On behalf of the entire Nandi County leadership, I take this opportunity to invite you all to join us in the upcoming county investment conference slated for April 8th- 10th 2015 @ Kapsabet showground. Do join me in driving this county forward to meet and exceed the expectations of Vision 2030. God Bless you till then.”
H.E Excellency, Dr. Cleophas Lagat, Governor.