Governor (Dr.) Moses Kiarie Badilisha
We will nurture talents and continue creating a platform for our performing artists to shine and exploit their talents and potentials, Governor (Dr.) Moses Kiarie Badilisha has told thousands of music lovers gathered at Ol’Kalou’s Jua Kali grounds this evening.
The music extravaganza was organized by Jose Gatutura, a popular Kikuyu musician and a resident of Magumu, Nyandarua county, and brought together tens of other artists from across the country.
Lands and Housing Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome announced that the Kenyan government’s housing agenda is on track, with over 100,000 units expected to be completed by the end of the year. Currently, 38,000 units are under construction in various parts of the country, with some almost complete. Nakuru County is in the final stages of constructing 608 units. The government plans to construct at least 200 units in every constituency, depending on demand. Wahome also urged land grabbers to give back their parcels for the housing agenda and other government projects. They are working closely with private developers, financial institutions, and the public to actualize the housing agenda. She added that they also hope to tap into the housing levy to actualize the agenda once a case in court over the contribution has been heard and determined. The CS encouraged Kenyans to take advantage of the affordable housing agenda, stating that thousands have attended open-day forums to express interest. For example, a two-bedroomed house in Ruiru is priced at Sh2.5 million, while a three-bedroomed house is priced at 4.5 million.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has assured coffee farmers that the marketing of coffee is returning to normal after the hiatus caused by the cancellation of trader’s licenses. The Nairobi Coffee Exchange resumed trading coffee worth $2.8 million US dollars, allowing farmers to offload large stocks of parchment coffee. Linturi urged farmers to adopt modern technology in agriculture to counter climate change and ensure higher yields from reducing agricultural land. He also urged the adoption of genetically modified (GMO) seeds to address reductions in yields caused by land fragmentation. Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire appealed to the government to help farmers offset a Sh170 million debt owed by the Kavutiri Coffee Mill. Linturi promised to prepare a Cabinet Memo for consideration by the government. He assured farmers that’mogoka’ had been scheduled as a cash crop and that the National Authority for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) would declassify cathinone and cathine as psychotropic substances. The government is encouraging farmers to produce more by providing subsidised inputs and facilitating affordable credit from the Agricultural Finance Corporation.
Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited (KPRL) has been taken over by the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), marking a significant change after its closure in 2013 due to outdated technology. The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum has been attempting to force marketing oil companies to offtake 10% of the refinery before importing finished products. In 2018, an agreement was reached to allow KPC to bring updated assets and 300 acres of land for the expansion and installation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanks. The Cabinet approved the acquisition in July, and the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and Treasury formed a technical and steering committee to consolidate the agreement. The government has transferred 100% of the shares held at KPRL to KPC without mandatory considerations, strengthening capability and capacity. This agreement demonstrates the government’s support and operational relationships between the two organisations.
The Ministry of Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management is set to launch the Public Service Transformation Rapid Results Initiative (PSTRSI) from November 1 to June 30, 2024, aimed at improving service delivery in the public sector. The initiative will implement pledges made by the Kenyan government through the Bottom-up Transformation Agenda (BETA) and improve the lives of Kenyans, particularly in the lower economic cadre. Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria announced that the government will make the government accountable to the people through Wajibika town hall sessions and roll out a digital tool for tracking performance contracts, project delivery, and the individual performance of its 900,000 workforce. The government will also modernise the public service by replacing retiring public servants with young Kenyans and ensuring an 80:20 ratio between Technical Staff and Support Staff. The government will transform the National Youth Service (NYS) into a bastion of hope for young people, making it a mandatory leadership college for those who will be absorbed into public service and disciplined forces. The government aims to make Kenya a thought leader in governance by converting the Kenya School of Government into the African School of Government and taking the lead in emerging issues such as Strategic Peace, Green Finance, African Integration, Democracy and Human Rights. The government will also expand the Huduma Network to cover all 5,000 government processes available online and make Huduma Centres one of the globally leading providers of E-Commerce and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). The government will collaborate with the Institute of Human Resources Management to ensure HR professionals are registered and certified with relevant professional bodies that meet global standards.
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