Inauguration Address By His Excellency Dr. Moses N. Kiarie Badilisha During His Swearing-In Ceremony As Governor, Nyandarua County Government, Delivered On Thursday August 25th, 2022 At The Ol’kalou Arboretum Grounds
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen:
It gives me great pride to stand before you today and re-affirm my commitment to serve the great people of Nyandarua County. The oath of office taken today, is nothing but a re-commitment to you all – both present here and in our homes, of a new beginning and the start of the CHANGE PERIOD. It is the official sealing of the covenant between us – those you elected into office, and you – who gave us the mandate to lead this great motherland.
Two weeks ago, the great people of Nyandarua County joined their compatriots across this Republic in electing their leaders and choosing their own government. In exercising this sovereign authority, our people voted-in new leaders and also renewed the mandate of some. I congratulate all those elected into office – from our honorable Members of the County Assembly, Members of Parliament in both the National Assembly and Senate, the County Woman Representative, and ultimately the President. It is through that power of citizens to craft their own government that we gather here today for this swearing-in ceremony.
The oath of office is a solemn vow before man and God; it is not just a ceremony or a ritual to be performed to fulfil political or statutory obligations. It is more than that. And that is why, on these grounds today, before you, I once again commit to be faithful to the promises I made, the authority you have bestowed on me, and the duty ahead.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This great day would never have been possible without the sacrifices of men and women – many of them here today, who went out of their way to create a movement of change and transformation. These are children of this great County who felt the time to re-make their county was fast fading before their very eyes. This Government is the product of the most robust and inclusive movement ever witnessed in our great County.
It has been woven together by a beautiful mosaic of old mothers who have gotten tired of carrying water on their backs for generations after another; young men who have been pushed into alcoholism and destitution due to lack of jobs from a collapsed agriculture sector and malfunctioning vocational centers. It is beaded together by young mothers who are never sure whether they will leave labor wards alive due to a run-down and under-funded healthcare system; fathers whose dairy sector has been destroyed by a rigged market after their co-operative societies were bankrupted. This is a Government crafted by the youth who want job opportunities, functional learning institutions, and a future of self-reliance, not petty handouts.
My fellow citizens, this is your government. The single thread running through this administration is that of transformation and changing the lives of our people. That is what you asked for. That is the message you have boldly sent in creating this government. And today, that is the promise we’ve come to re-affirm and re-commit to honor.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This administration comes at acritical period of national transition. The events at the national platform have a direct bearing on us as a County. On behalf of the United Democratic Alliance party, I wish to thank the thousands of our voters who cast their aspirations with our candidate and now President-Elect Dr. William Ruto, and his deputy Hon. Rigathi Gachagua. It is my hope that the legal processes underway will come to a quick resolution. The people voted for their president, and the people deserve the government that they created.
But I want to assure you, even as the national transition takes shape and issues settle, implementation of our County agenda contained in our manifesto must now begin. The CHANGE MANIFESTO forms our guiding principles in governance. This manifesto is the sum total of all our aspirations as a people towards wealth creation and revolutionizing our critical productive sectors, especially in agriculture value addition.
The CHANGE MANIFESTO that we developed from the experiences and views of our people is a three-pillar strategy whose main focus is creating a prosperous society.
The manifesto begins at our critical foundational systems – Foundation/ Enablers Pillar – which anchor and enable sustainable growth: the infrastructure, our resources at the County Treasury, our land capital, and our human resources. These enablers of development form the supporting base for the next pillar which is the economic driver of growth. At the heart of this foundation pillar is infrastructure which forms the physical backbone of our economy.
As part of this transformation, my government intends to immediately restructure the management of the County Rural Roads Machinery units under an accountable County Roads Board. This will ensure that there is proper utilization of these county assets in a manner that seals loopholes for misuse, abuse and their diversion to private use.
To undertake an elaborate roads’ rehabilitation programme, and which will see all our roads upgraded to motorable standards, I am calling upon all county residents who have encroached on road reserves to immediately remove any structures which hinder proper utilization of public spaces. I am further directing the relevant Department of Lands and Survey to move with speed and erect beacons on roads where cases of encroachment have occurred to enable speedy opening up of these roads. I look forward to full cooperation by members of the public and other agencies responsible.
The second level of our manifesto is the Economic Pillar. These are the sectors which are at the core of wealth creation and sustainable development. Key among them is agriculture which we seek to transform into a major driver of growth through provision of affordable farm inputs, value addition – especially potatoes and vegetables, livestock and livestock products, dairy sector, fisheries, poultry – and creation of market linkages. And these transformative strategies in agricultural sector cannot be possible without a robust trade and cooperative society sector.
To improve on the value of our farm produce, my administration intends to focus on targeted value addition specifically for potatoes and vegetables. Towards this end, we plan to have cold-storage facilities at each sub-county and at least one processing plant at the County level. This will ensure that our produce is properly stored in our cold storage facilities as farmers hedge for better prices, and the processors, too, have a steady supply both on and off seasons. This will be extended to milk processing where, through the established cooperative societies, we shall provide milk coolers, and ultimately have a milk processing plant in our county. This dairy sector programme also extends to establishment of an animal feeds industry which will see our farmers contracted to grow feeds’ inputs. Further, we shall immediately embark on a strategy to revamp our extension services – both crop and livestock – in order to improve on production, breeds, and increase profitability.
In the pyrethrum sector, the rising demand for natural pesticides and organically produced products has seen the prices skyrocket. While our people have been reluctant to go back to this sector, the returns are enough incentives to encourage them. In order to promote the cultivation of pyrethrum in the County, my government will work with industry players to ensure that a drying facility is constructed in Nyandarua, and reliable market linkages are created for farmers.
By foregrounding agriculture as a key driver in development, as an employer and catalyst for wealth creation in Nyandarua County, my administration further proposes to establish a Kilimo Fund targeted at the youth and PLWDs engaged in agriculture. This is beside the Biashara Fund which, again, will be under the Trade Department and available to all citizens engaged in productive enterprises. These funds will supplement the proposed Hustlers’ Fund by the National Government.
To further widen the revenue base and spur quicker and sustainable development, we will monetize opportunities granted to us by God and nature. The Lake Ol’Bollosat – a natural highland lake of its kind in Kenya and home to thousands of bird species, hippopotamus, and a variety of fish, can be transformed into a tourists’ attraction site and a revenue stream for the county. Nyandarua is also home to the historical Mau Mau caves that speak directly to our history of freedom struggle, the Happy Valley homes and their history which continues to attract great scholarly interest, and of course the iconic Aberdares which are great reservoirs of our history, heritage and are also wonderful picnic and tourism sites. These are just some of the resources which we will exploit to benefit our people.
The third and final structure of our manifesto is the Social Pillar which seeks to address the welfare of our society. The social pillar is the culmination of the foundation and economic anchors whose results are a better and thriving society where critical welfare institutions work and serve the people. At the heart of this pillar is healthcare which seeks to ensure that all our facilities are well equipped, staffed and meet the healthcare expectations of the citizenry from the dispensary to the major hospitals. As a policy, my administration seeks to ensure that each sub-county has a well-functioning Level Four hospital with critical departments like X-Ray, Maternity, Laboratories, and adequately manned by doctors and healthcare professionals. Additionally, my government will see the full completion of the J.M. Referral and the Engineer Referral Hospitals, as well as the full operationalization of the Center for Disease Control to enable research in medicine and communicable diseases.
Still on healthcare, studies have shown that while physical infrastructure is an important component in accessing services, it is the human, medical and non-medical resources that make the difference. It is worth noting that as a County we lack very critical personnel, including surgeons, a situation which often puts our patients at risk. Accordingly, besides filling these staff gaps, I wish to assure the healthcare workers in Nyandarua County that their welfare and professional needs will become an immediate priority in this administration. Importantly, the resolution of the casual workers’ issues, majority of who are in this sector, is now a priority matter for this government. Further, provision of adequate medical supplies and personnel, including their appropriate remuneration and compensation, will be extensively addressed.
To further address the question of access to healthcare, my government seeks to work with the National Government towards realization of Universal Healthcare under the NHIF scheme. Already addressed in the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto, the County Government will ensure that this programme succeeds by upscaling registration of indigents. I note that this is a programme that has been ongoing and it’s my assurance that we will build on the gains already made.
Fellow citizens, while some have looked at the youth issue as a problem, my government seeks to see it as one of the most profound opportunities of our times. That is why under the social pillar of my manifesto, skilling of the youth in our vocational training centers, affording them trade opportunities under the 30% AGPO rule, and the specially created Kilimo Fund under the economic pillar are some of the notable game changers we should expect. We will also develop a robust Sports and Performing Arts Policy which seeks to tap into the skills, talents and ideas of our youth and incubate them into wealth-creating and sustainable ventures. As we roll out some of these policy steps, like the one on youth-targeted agri-businesses, we also call upon our youth to take up the initiatives and own them. This, for example, may also require change in certain perceptions, attitudes and thinking on the place and role of agriculture as an employer.
Nyandarua is a water-rich, yet deficient County. Over 60% of our population does not have access to clean drinking water. Less than 2% of our farms are under any form of irrigation. This must, and will change. It is for this reason that my administration seeks a paradigm shift in our water management policy. We will no longer export water to other counties for free yet leave our residents with none. We will no longer have our water traded for fees by other counties yet the responsibility to rehabilitate the water towers is left to us alone. As a priority, my Government will develop a comprehensive water masterplan and policy to address some of these structural and historical injustices.
Finally, our Social Pillar touches on education at the early childhood and vocational centers. My government has developed a market-driven strategy to revamp our vocational training centers and fund them too. And to address nutritional needs of our ECDEs, we will roll-out a school feeding programme by providing fortified porridge to learners across all our institutions. This is in addition to a modernization programme targeting infrastructure and learning materials, as well as recruitment of adequate teachers.
I am also pleased to inform the great people of Nyandarua that I have held very successful discussions with the relevant state agencies responsible for higher education and the Nyandarua University dream is now a possibility. A committee handling the issue and pursuing the Charter is working on several fronts and already preparation of the curriculum in conjunction with a leading university is ongoing. Further information will be provided in due course.
While the aforementioned is just but a highlight of our transformative manifesto, and which each one of us will continue to interact with going forward, I want to assure you of the commitment of my team towards this transformation and the inevitable re-making of Nyandarua County.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Over the last few days I have had the opportunity to be briefed by the Assumption of Office of the Governor Committee on several issues in our county. This process is still ongoing and the transition is a process involving many stages and actors. In the coming days and weeks, as this process continues and my government gets fully established, we shall keep informing the great people of Nyandarua on where we are and what we are doing. It is my intention, and that of my administration, to build on the successes realized by previous governments, and draw lessons thereof.
Therefore, as part of this obligation conferred to me by the people, I will soon be issuing several directives and executive orders on organization of government, development of policies and, where required, certain legislations to enable quick and efficient fulfilment of the promises we have made to the people. On this note, too, I wish to assure the county government staff that they will remain a part of this transformative journey and we shall endeavor to skill them for better service delivery.
Fellow citizens, it is my intention that the bottom-up model of government that we promised – which is people and community-driven, will have its roots and foundation at the very bottom of the society – in our villages and locations. That is why, going forward, in consultation with Members of the County Assembly and its leadership, Members of Parliament and other elected leaders across the divide, we shall establish a Leaders’ Forum at the apex levels of our county, and the Village Development Committees at the ward and locational levels. We cannot pretend to work for the people when they are not part of the decision-making processes. The people asked for this inclusion by voting for us; and the people must therefore get involved.
In creating these layered but inter-twined structures of decision-making, where every sector of society is involved and their voices count, we take cognizance of the fact that our county has been a sad theater of infighting and acrimony. The net effect of these 10 years of conflicts is that we have not only wasted opportunities and resources, but we have lagged behind in almost every sector of human development index. Because of these wars, 60 years after independence, our mothers are still fetching and carrying water on their backs from dirty contaminated pans and streams, our children lack opportunities, there is no one to lobby for appointment of our professionals in national government and international positions, our youth languish in poverty and stare at a sad cycle of hopelessness and despair. This should bother every leader. And that is why this sad chapter of infighting and lost opportunities that has defined our land will never be a part of my administration or legacy; NOT on my watch.
In order for us all, elected and non-elected leaders, to overcome this temptation to take our people back to the dark period they have cast away, we are called upon to work together and respect the mandate each organ of state is given by the people and the Constitution. It is my assurance to the Members of the County Assembly especially, that this administration will not and does not have any intention to micro-manage the County Assembly in any way. Your roles are clearly spelt out in law and your mandate is well defined. Separation of powers demands that each organ – the Assembly and the Executive – is autonomous but inter-dependent. Likewise, I call upon the Honorable Members to allow the Executive equally discharge its mandate as per the Constitution and the Laws of the land. I commit to run a very inclusive, consultative and open Government where your voices, and those of our citizens, have a place.
That is why today, I call upon each one of us bestowed with a responsibility to serve: let us serve the people with honor and dignity; let us work for the people and address their dreams, aspirations, and bequeath them a county of plenty. Only then will we have fulfilled our mandate and lived true to the oath of office we take.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Realizing the dreams of our people and fulfilling the Manifesto we have developed cannot be the singular duty of the government. Sustainable development calls for not just inclusivity and ownership, but active participation by all stakeholders. That is why, as part of widening both the resources’ and knowledge pool, I propose to establish a Nyandarua County Economic Council which will bring together men and women who will help re-make this great motherland, and open more opportunities in investments. This will be a team that will drive a Marshal Plan towards making Nyandarua a model county for growth, opportunities and investments.
The Economic Council is also an opportunity for us to have a structured framework of engagement with the private sector, friends of Nyandarua, and our professionals who have always felt left out of decision-making. A policy on this Council will be out soon to allow its immediate establishment.
In conclusion, allow me to thank the transition team that has made this event and process successful. I wish to thank the County Commissioner and his security team, the County Secretary and his team from both the Executive and the County Assembly including the team seconded from the Governor-Elect, members of the Clergy who have prayed and supported this process, and the thousands of people in the county and beyond who have overwhelmed us with enriching messages of goodwill and support. I thank you all.
To our teams who have moved the Change Movement from just an idea into what it is today – a transformative agenda and now a government, the hard part of fulfilling the promises we made to our people officially begins today. I thank the Apex Team in Nairobi and the County, the Ward and Constituency Teams, the village caucuses and every single person who believed in us. This government belongs to the people of Nyandarua and each one us – blind to the political formations and preferences, must match forward towards making this great county a wonderful home for us all.
To my family and especially our First Lady Grace, thank you and God bless you for your support, prayers and encouragement. You’ve been a pillar and the rock behind my success and your prayers have not been in vain.
Finally, because this day would never have been without the overwhelming grace and blessings of God, I find great comfort and strength in the words contained in Proverbs 16-3: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” Today, for all we have said, for all we have planned, and for all we seek to achieve, we commit to the Lord our God who has gotten us here. And for today, we thank Him for this far.
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen:
It gives me great pride to stand before you today and re-affirm my commitment to serve the great people of Nyandarua County. The oath of office taken today, is nothing but a re-commitment to you all – both present here and in our homes, of a new beginning and the start of the CHANGE PERIOD. It is the official sealing of the covenant between us – those you elected into office, and you – who gave us the mandate to lead this great motherland.
Two weeks ago, the great people of Nyandarua County joined their compatriots across this Republic in electing their leaders and choosing their own government. In exercising this sovereign authority, our people voted-in new leaders and also renewed the mandate of some. I congratulate all those elected into office – from our honorable Members of the County Assembly, Members of Parliament in both the National Assembly and Senate, the County Woman Representative, and ultimately the President. It is through that power of citizens to craft their own government that we gather here today for this swearing-in ceremony.
The oath of office is a solemn vow before man and God; it is not just a ceremony or a ritual to be performed to fulfil political or statutory obligations. It is more than that. And that is why, on these grounds today, before you, I once again commit to be faithful to the promises I made, the authority you have bestowed on me, and the duty ahead.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This great day would never have been possible without the sacrifices of men and women – many of them here today, who went out of their way to create a movement of change and transformation. These are children of this great County who felt the time to re-make their county was fast fading before their very eyes. This Government is the product of the most robust and inclusive movement ever witnessed in our great County.
It has been woven together by a beautiful mosaic of old mothers who have gotten tired of carrying water on their backs for generations after another; young men who have been pushed into alcoholism and destitution due to lack of jobs from a collapsed agriculture sector and malfunctioning vocational centers. It is beaded together by young mothers who are never sure whether they will leave labor wards alive due to a run-down and under-funded healthcare system; fathers whose dairy sector has been destroyed by a rigged market after their co-operative societies were bankrupted. This is a Government crafted by the youth who want job opportunities, functional learning institutions, and a future of self-reliance, not petty handouts.
My fellow citizens, this is your government. The single thread running through this administration is that of transformation and changing the lives of our people. That is what you asked for. That is the message you have boldly sent in creating this government. And today, that is the promise we’ve come to re-affirm and re-commit to honor.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This administration comes at acritical period of national transition. The events at the national platform have a direct bearing on us as a County. On behalf of the United Democratic Alliance party, I wish to thank the thousands of our voters who cast their aspirations with our candidate and now President-Elect Dr. William Ruto, and his deputy Hon. Rigathi Gachagua. It is my hope that the legal processes underway will come to a quick resolution. The people voted for their president, and the people deserve the government that they created.
But I want to assure you, even as the national transition takes shape and issues settle, implementation of our County agenda contained in our manifesto must now begin. The CHANGE MANIFESTO forms our guiding principles in governance. This manifesto is the sum total of all our aspirations as a people towards wealth creation and revolutionizing our critical productive sectors, especially in agriculture value addition.
The CHANGE MANIFESTO that we developed from the experiences and views of our people is a three-pillar strategy whose main focus is creating a prosperous society.
The manifesto begins at our critical foundational systems – Foundation/ Enablers Pillar – which anchor and enable sustainable growth: the infrastructure, our resources at the County Treasury, our land capital, and our human resources. These enablers of development form the supporting base for the next pillar which is the economic driver of growth. At the heart of this foundation pillar is infrastructure which forms the physical backbone of our economy.
As part of this transformation, my government intends to immediately restructure the management of the County Rural Roads Machinery units under an accountable County Roads Board. This will ensure that there is proper utilization of these county assets in a manner that seals loopholes for misuse, abuse and their diversion to private use.
To undertake an elaborate roads’ rehabilitation programme, and which will see all our roads upgraded to motorable standards, I am calling upon all county residents who have encroached on road reserves to immediately remove any structures which hinder proper utilization of public spaces. I am further directing the relevant Department of Lands and Survey to move with speed and erect beacons on roads where cases of encroachment have occurred to enable speedy opening up of these roads. I look forward to full cooperation by members of the public and other agencies responsible.
The second level of our manifesto is the Economic Pillar. These are the sectors which are at the core of wealth creation and sustainable development. Key among them is agriculture which we seek to transform into a major driver of growth through provision of affordable farm inputs, value addition – especially potatoes and vegetables, livestock and livestock products, dairy sector, fisheries, poultry – and creation of market linkages. And these transformative strategies in agricultural sector cannot be possible without a robust trade and cooperative society sector.
To improve on the value of our farm produce, my administration intends to focus on targeted value addition specifically for potatoes and vegetables. Towards this end, we plan to have cold-storage facilities at each sub-county and at least one processing plant at the County level. This will ensure that our produce is properly stored in our cold storage facilities as farmers hedge for better prices, and the processors, too, have a steady supply both on and off seasons. This will be extended to milk processing where, through the established cooperative societies, we shall provide milk coolers, and ultimately have a milk processing plant in our county. This dairy sector programme also extends to establishment of an animal feeds industry which will see our farmers contracted to grow feeds’ inputs. Further, we shall immediately embark on a strategy to revamp our extension services – both crop and livestock – in order to improve on production, breeds, and increase profitability.
In the pyrethrum sector, the rising demand for natural pesticides and organically produced products has seen the prices skyrocket. While our people have been reluctant to go back to this sector, the returns are enough incentives to encourage them. In order to promote the cultivation of pyrethrum in the County, my government will work with industry players to ensure that a drying facility is constructed in Nyandarua, and reliable market linkages are created for farmers.
By foregrounding agriculture as a key driver in development, as an employer and catalyst for wealth creation in Nyandarua County, my administration further proposes to establish a Kilimo Fund targeted at the youth and PLWDs engaged in agriculture. This is beside the Biashara Fund which, again, will be under the Trade Department and available to all citizens engaged in productive enterprises. These funds will supplement the proposed Hustlers’ Fund by the National Government.
To further widen the revenue base and spur quicker and sustainable development, we will monetize opportunities granted to us by God and nature. The Lake Ol’Bollosat – a natural highland lake of its kind in Kenya and home to thousands of bird species, hippopotamus, and a variety of fish, can be transformed into a tourists’ attraction site and a revenue stream for the county. Nyandarua is also home to the historical Mau Mau caves that speak directly to our history of freedom struggle, the Happy Valley homes and their history which continues to attract great scholarly interest, and of course the iconic Aberdares which are great reservoirs of our history, heritage and are also wonderful picnic and tourism sites. These are just some of the resources which we will exploit to benefit our people.
The third and final structure of our manifesto is the Social Pillar which seeks to address the welfare of our society. The social pillar is the culmination of the foundation and economic anchors whose results are a better and thriving society where critical welfare institutions work and serve the people. At the heart of this pillar is healthcare which seeks to ensure that all our facilities are well equipped, staffed and meet the healthcare expectations of the citizenry from the dispensary to the major hospitals. As a policy, my administration seeks to ensure that each sub-county has a well-functioning Level Four hospital with critical departments like X-Ray, Maternity, Laboratories, and adequately manned by doctors and healthcare professionals. Additionally, my government will see the full completion of the J.M. Referral and the Engineer Referral Hospitals, as well as the full operationalization of the Center for Disease Control to enable research in medicine and communicable diseases.
Still on healthcare, studies have shown that while physical infrastructure is an important component in accessing services, it is the human, medical and non-medical resources that make the difference. It is worth noting that as a County we lack very critical personnel, including surgeons, a situation which often puts our patients at risk. Accordingly, besides filling these staff gaps, I wish to assure the healthcare workers in Nyandarua County that their welfare and professional needs will become an immediate priority in this administration. Importantly, the resolution of the casual workers’ issues, majority of who are in this sector, is now a priority matter for this government. Further, provision of adequate medical supplies and personnel, including their appropriate remuneration and compensation, will be extensively addressed.
To further address the question of access to healthcare, my government seeks to work with the National Government towards realization of Universal Healthcare under the NHIF scheme. Already addressed in the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto, the County Government will ensure that this programme succeeds by upscaling registration of indigents. I note that this is a programme that has been ongoing and it’s my assurance that we will build on the gains already made.
Fellow citizens, while some have looked at the youth issue as a problem, my government seeks to see it as one of the most profound opportunities of our times. That is why under the social pillar of my manifesto, skilling of the youth in our vocational training centers, affording them trade opportunities under the 30% AGPO rule, and the specially created Kilimo Fund under the economic pillar are some of the notable game changers we should expect. We will also develop a robust Sports and Performing Arts Policy which seeks to tap into the skills, talents and ideas of our youth and incubate them into wealth-creating and sustainable ventures. As we roll out some of these policy steps, like the one on youth-targeted agri-businesses, we also call upon our youth to take up the initiatives and own them. This, for example, may also require change in certain perceptions, attitudes and thinking on the place and role of agriculture as an employer.
Nyandarua is a water-rich, yet deficient County. Over 60% of our population does not have access to clean drinking water. Less than 2% of our farms are under any form of irrigation. This must, and will change. It is for this reason that my administration seeks a paradigm shift in our water management policy. We will no longer export water to other counties for free yet leave our residents with none. We will no longer have our water traded for fees by other counties yet the responsibility to rehabilitate the water towers is left to us alone. As a priority, my Government will develop a comprehensive water masterplan and policy to address some of these structural and historical injustices.
Finally, our Social Pillar touches on education at the early childhood and vocational centers. My government has developed a market-driven strategy to revamp our vocational training centers and fund them too. And to address nutritional needs of our ECDEs, we will roll-out a school feeding programme by providing fortified porridge to learners across all our institutions. This is in addition to a modernization programme targeting infrastructure and learning materials, as well as recruitment of adequate teachers.
I am also pleased to inform the great people of Nyandarua that I have held very successful discussions with the relevant state agencies responsible for higher education and the Nyandarua University dream is now a possibility. A committee handling the issue and pursuing the Charter is working on several fronts and already preparation of the curriculum in conjunction with a leading university is ongoing. Further information will be provided in due course.
While the aforementioned is just but a highlight of our transformative manifesto, and which each one of us will continue to interact with going forward, I want to assure you of the commitment of my team towards this transformation and the inevitable re-making of Nyandarua County.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Over the last few days I have had the opportunity to be briefed by the Assumption of Office of the Governor Committee on several issues in our county. This process is still ongoing and the transition is a process involving many stages and actors. In the coming days and weeks, as this process continues and my government gets fully established, we shall keep informing the great people of Nyandarua on where we are and what we are doing. It is my intention, and that of my administration, to build on the successes realized by previous governments, and draw lessons thereof.
Therefore, as part of this obligation conferred to me by the people, I will soon be issuing several directives and executive orders on organization of government, development of policies and, where required, certain legislations to enable quick and efficient fulfilment of the promises we have made to the people. On this note, too, I wish to assure the county government staff that they will remain a part of this transformative journey and we shall endeavor to skill them for better service delivery.
Fellow citizens, it is my intention that the bottom-up model of government that we promised – which is people and community-driven, will have its roots and foundation at the very bottom of the society – in our villages and locations. That is why, going forward, in consultation with Members of the County Assembly and its leadership, Members of Parliament and other elected leaders across the divide, we shall establish a Leaders’ Forum at the apex levels of our county, and the Village Development Committees at the ward and locational levels. We cannot pretend to work for the people when they are not part of the decision-making processes. The people asked for this inclusion by voting for us; and the people must therefore get involved.
In creating these layered but inter-twined structures of decision-making, where every sector of society is involved and their voices count, we take cognizance of the fact that our county has been a sad theater of infighting and acrimony. The net effect of these 10 years of conflicts is that we have not only wasted opportunities and resources, but we have lagged behind in almost every sector of human development index. Because of these wars, 60 years after independence, our mothers are still fetching and carrying water on their backs from dirty contaminated pans and streams, our children lack opportunities, there is no one to lobby for appointment of our professionals in national government and international positions, our youth languish in poverty and stare at a sad cycle of hopelessness and despair. This should bother every leader. And that is why this sad chapter of infighting and lost opportunities that has defined our land will never be a part of my administration or legacy; NOT on my watch.
In order for us all, elected and non-elected leaders, to overcome this temptation to take our people back to the dark period they have cast away, we are called upon to work together and respect the mandate each organ of state is given by the people and the Constitution. It is my assurance to the Members of the County Assembly especially, that this administration will not and does not have any intention to micro-manage the County Assembly in any way. Your roles are clearly spelt out in law and your mandate is well defined. Separation of powers demands that each organ – the Assembly and the Executive – is autonomous but inter-dependent. Likewise, I call upon the Honorable Members to allow the Executive equally discharge its mandate as per the Constitution and the Laws of the land. I commit to run a very inclusive, consultative and open Government where your voices, and those of our citizens, have a place.
That is why today, I call upon each one of us bestowed with a responsibility to serve: let us serve the people with honor and dignity; let us work for the people and address their dreams, aspirations, and bequeath them a county of plenty. Only then will we have fulfilled our mandate and lived true to the oath of office we take.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Realizing the dreams of our people and fulfilling the Manifesto we have developed cannot be the singular duty of the government. Sustainable development calls for not just inclusivity and ownership, but active participation by all stakeholders. That is why, as part of widening both the resources’ and knowledge pool, I propose to establish a Nyandarua County Economic Council which will bring together men and women who will help re-make this great motherland, and open more opportunities in investments. This will be a team that will drive a Marshal Plan towards making Nyandarua a model county for growth, opportunities and investments.
The Economic Council is also an opportunity for us to have a structured framework of engagement with the private sector, friends of Nyandarua, and our professionals who have always felt left out of decision-making. A policy on this Council will be out soon to allow its immediate establishment.
In conclusion, allow me to thank the transition team that has made this event and process successful. I wish to thank the County Commissioner and his security team, the County Secretary and his team from both the Executive and the County Assembly including the team seconded from the Governor-Elect, members of the Clergy who have prayed and supported this process, and the thousands of people in the county and beyond who have overwhelmed us with enriching messages of goodwill and support. I thank you all.
To our teams who have moved the Change Movement from just an idea into what it is today – a transformative agenda and now a government, the hard part of fulfilling the promises we made to our people officially begins today. I thank the Apex Team in Nairobi and the County, the Ward and Constituency Teams, the village caucuses and every single person who believed in us. This government belongs to the people of Nyandarua and each one us – blind to the political formations and preferences, must match forward towards making this great county a wonderful home for us all.
To my family and especially our First Lady Grace, thank you and God bless you for your support, prayers and encouragement. You’ve been a pillar and the rock behind my success and your prayers have not been in vain.
Finally, because this day would never have been without the overwhelming grace and blessings of God, I find great comfort and strength in the words contained in Proverbs 16-3: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” Today, for all we have said, for all we have planned, and for all we seek to achieve, we commit to the Lord our God who has gotten us here. And for today, we thank Him for this far.
Thank you all.
God Bless Nyandarua, God Bless Kenya, and May God Bless our land.
God Bless Nyandarua, God Bless Kenya, and May God Bless our land.
