ADDRESS BY GOVERNOR STEPHEN K. SANG DURING THE OPENING OF THE COUNTY ASSEMBLY OF NANDI 4TH SESSION ON FEBRUARY 13, 2020
Speaker of the County Assembly,
Honorable Members of the County Assembly,
Fellow Residents of Nandi County,
Members of the Fourth Estate,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to address you at the beginning of this Session after 2019 end year – as well as 2020- New Year – Recess. I am confident that Honorable Members have had a well-deserved recess and are now re-energized and ready to resume their legislative and oversight roles.
Hon. Speaker,
I believe the recess has provided Honorable Members an opportunity to spend quality time with the electorate so as to understand their needs with a view to representing them more effectively.
I would like therefore to start by formally wishing Honorable Members a very successful and prosperous New Year 2020.
I wish therefore to address a few successes as well as concerns that we have experienced in the first half of the 2019/2020 Financial Year.
Hon. Members,
As you are aware, we have had a challenge in regards to delay in disbursement of money by the Exchequer. The delays have made it almost impossible for us to run development projects and recurrent expenditures. Up-to date, we are yet to receive our allocation for the month of January. This has greatly affected service delivery and salary delays.
However, I wish to thank our county staff for their endurance as we sought to resolve the matter. As of today all our staff will start receiving their
January salary and I want to assure them that we are working on a plan to find a permanent solution to this.
Hon. Speaker,
The matter of pending bills has elicited a national concern with the National Treasury requiring all counties to settle pending bills in totality or face a freeze of funds. Other than bills that are currently being settled, I wish to indicate that a significant proportion of the bills shall fall due to once the ineligible Pending Bills Committee concludes its task at the end of this month. This amount will have to be budgeted for in its entirety in the Financial Year 2020-2021. I therefore request this house to get cognizance of this fact on the Budget Estimates FY 2020/21 will be presented to this house for approval.
Hon. Members,
Despite these financial challenges, we have continued to ensure our development projects are on course. For instance, our key flagship projects in the Health and Sanitation Department are progressing well. I am glad to report that the Mother and Child Hospital project at the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital is way ahead of our schedule.
The phase two of the Sh409-million project will commence this month. Other ongoing mega projects include; Kabiyet Trauma Center, Kobujoi Trauma Center, Chepterwai Trauma Center, new maternity at Meteitei Sub County Hospital, and Nandi Hills Trauma Centre.
We also have projects which rolled over from Financial Year 2018/19 that are nearing completion, these include; construction of new 17 dispensaries and 10 new maternity wings.
Ambulatory service is a key component in a strong, working Healthcare system. To ensure easy movement of patients in dire need of emergency health services, we purchased ten state-of-the-art ambulances with all the necessary lifesaving equipment. This fleet will be deployed to cover all the sub counties.
My administration has also availed medical supplies, non-pharmaceuticals and equipment to all health facilities across the County. Our challenge has been the implementation of the new Kenya Essential Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) Act, which restricts counties from purchasing drugs and medical supplies from other entities other than KEMSA. The restriction is affecting timely supply of drugs and I have called for the review of this legislation.
Hon. Speaker,
Dairy farming is one of our flagship projects in the County. The Nandi Cooperative Creameries will ensure farmers realize maximum profits through value addition.
To support the sustainability of the project, my administration has embarked on aggressive promotion of dairy production. We are strengthening Dairy Co-operative Societies by providing them with milk coolers to enable milk cooling and storage.
We have so far constructed 30 structures for the installation of milk coolers, one in each of the 30 wards and awaiting the National Government to deliver the coolers. We have also continued to offer Countywide subsidized Artificial Insemination services to our dairy farmers. Since the onset of the subsidy AI program in August 2018, over 28,000 successful inseminations have been administered across the county. The aim of the programme is to improve the breeds of animals which will eventually lead to increment of milk production.
To ensure our County is food secure, we have supported our farmers to shift from subsistence farming to agribusiness. My administration in collaboration with National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP) disbursed 62 million shillings worth of cheques to 161 common interest groups of farmers through the Community Driven Development Committees (CDDCs). The project also disbursed funds to eight Cooperatives supporting the same beneficiary groups to the tune of 11 million shillings as inclusion capacity and membership recruitment grants. The value chains that we prioritized under the programme include; Dairy farming, indigenous chicken, Irish potato and Avocado farming.
Hon. Speaker,
My administration understands the important role played by Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) in setting the foundation for child education and development. I have therefore directed that the 60 ECDE centres that began in the Financial Year 2017-2018 be completed and be ready for commissioning in the next three months. The new 45 ECDE centres were tendered in the 2018/19 Financial Year are on progress with most of the centres nearing completion. I urge Honorable Members to continue playing their oversight role and ensure that contractors complete the works within the agreed timelines.
Hon. Speaker,
In this financial year, we allocated a total of 60 million shillings for bursaries. This translates to two million shillings in each of the 30 Wards. Out of this, 18 million shillings went to Secondary Schools and six million was given to students with Special Needs.
We are awaiting the release of our allocation from the National Treasury to disburse the remaining 36 million shillings that was set aside for Tertiary and University students.
Hon. Speaker,
Our road network has expanded tremendously in the last two years. However, the long heavy rains experienced for over four months in the period under review diminished the progress we had made in this sector. Now that the rains have subsided, I want to assure the people of Nandi that we are embarking on a robust program. We tendered 33 roads under the Road Levy Maintenance Fund covering 170 kms, while the evaluation of tender applications for more than 36 projects advertised in the 2019/20 financial year is ongoing. The 36 projects will cover 195 kms. Works under this program include grading, gravelling, bush clearing and drifts construction on various roads in the sub-counties.
Hon. Members,
The future driver of our economy will be anchored on urbanization and that is why Kapsabet town was conferred the Municipality status.
We are undertaking a number of projects under the Kenya Urban Support Program.
These include the Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) which involves construction of six kilometer pedestrian footpath from Namgoi (Kapsabet Boys’ side) to Kamobo, a two kilometer athletic racing track running from Kapsabet Bible College to Lode School Academy/Marcle School. Other projects aimed at improving the sanitation of our Municipality include the construction and extension of sewer lines and ablution block at Kapsabet Bus Park,Jua Kali Sheds and Market stalls. These projects are within designated areas of Kapsabet Municipality.
Hon. Speaker,
To enhance citizen communication with the county, we have successfully established the First Call Centre in the Country and we are leading the other counties in Citizen Engagement and Open government. This is evident as we have launched a toll-free number (1548) that is being used for Emergencies, Disaster management, AI Services, Health, and general inquiries. Already this service has handled over 5,000 calls and many of our residents have been assisted. I can confidently report to this Honorable House that there are many live changing stories coming out of this project.
Hon. Members;
The first phase of our other flagship project, the modern Eliud Kipchoge Sports Complex and Training Camp is complete. The second phase is ongoing and is at 40% completion level.
In Conclusion,
I am pleased that Nandi County has recaptured her original space in terms of development and as a people we continue to restore our dignity. We have indeed made good progress in all our sectors and I can categorically state that Nandi is on the right track.
The successes we have registered within this period are remarkable and this is attributed to the collective efforts from all of us, hence the need for us to continue working as a team.
I will be requesting this Honorable House to allow me to deliver the State of the County Address soon, for me to highlight on the status of our various development projects.
Finally Honorable Members,
On behalf of the people of Nandi County, I extend our sincere condolences to the Moi family and the nation of Kenya on the passing on of Retired President H.E. Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, an icon of peace.
Mzee Moi taught us a lot through his service to the country in various capacities as an educator, legislator, policy maker and finally as Head of State.
Just like in other parts of the country, the late President Moi built many institutions of learning in Nandi County including Kapsabet Boys, Kapsabet Girls, Chebisas Girls among many others. In the health sector, he built Nyayo Wards in Kapsabet County Referral Hospital, Nandi Hills Sub-County Hospital and Chepterwai Hospital. This is a clear indication that Mzee Moi had a special place in his heart for the people of Nandi. He was truly an outstanding statesman, a man of great intellect and a big heart who, to the last hour of his life, gave all his energy to the course of peace.
As a people, let us commit ourselves to honouring him by living true to his philosophy of peace, love and unity. His legacy will forever remain in our hearts and minds.
May he now reap his eternal rewards for the great work he has done for Kenya and Africa at large.
God Bless Kenya, God Bless Nandi County.
Thank you!
Stephen K. Araap Sang
GOVERNOR
