Governor%27s Jamhuri Day Speech

8/10/2019 Governor%27s Jamhuri Day Speech

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SPEECH BY H.E. HON. PETER MUNYA,

GOVERNOR,

COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF MERU DURING

THE JAMHURI DAY CELEBRATIONS HELD AT

MERU TECHNICAL TRAINING INSTITUTE ON

12TH

DECEMBER, 2014.

1. 50 th National Jamhuri Day Celebration

Today I am happy to join all citizens in Meru

County as we celebrate the 50th

Jamhuri Daysince our Country became a sovereign

republic. Half a Century of independence and

freedom has ushered new generations of

citizens who are born free. For this reason, thepeople of Meru join all other Kenyans to

congratulate our president whose charges

were dropped this week from foreign


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prosecution at the ICC. We also hope that the

two other Kenyans with cases at the ICC mayget justice.

Jamhuri is about celebrating our freedom

from foreign, colonial and oppressivedominion. As a County we celebrate the

democratic space and leadership which

recently resulted to unity by all elected

leaders. May I take this early opportunity tocongratulate and appreciate all elected

leaders in Meru County for setting aside their

political and personal differences so as to

effectively serve the people. My governmentwelcomes this noble initiative for unity. I also

want to recognize the efforts of other

stakeholders such as the Njuri Ncheke, the


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Church and other non-governmental

organizations who have played a key role inuniting people for development.

2. Security

Ladies and gentlemen,

As we celebrate Jamhuri today through

parade, dance and songs, we also pause to

reflect on the affront to our cherisheddemocratic freedoms posed by external

threats in some parts of our country. Kenyans

treasure their freedoms to live and work

anywhere in this republic without fear anddiscrimination. These freedoms have been

seriously threatened and undermined by

insecurity. Even though security is not yet a


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devolved function, County Governments

should not continue to be relegated to beingspectators when the lives of people are put at

risk by terrorist and criminal elements.

As the legal framework is being considered bythe national legislature, the County

Governments wish to urge the National

Government to gazette the County Policing

Authority Regulations to enable Counties toput security management mechanisms in

place as soon as possible. Management of

security at local level is a world-wide practice

which has been the missing link in ourCountrys security management system since

the devolution of functions. One key aspect of

security management at the County Level is to


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provide quick and immediate response to

incidences like the ones we have recently seenin North Eastern Counties. Our proximity to

the northern frontier makes security

management a critical factor for development

of this County. In this connection, I urge allcitizens in this County to continue to live in

peace and harmony with one another and to

be vigilant during the Christmas festivities

ensuring strangers are carefully vetted inhotels, shopping malls, Churches and other

public institutions.

3.

Jamhuri highlights of the progressmade by the County Government



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Today I will make fewer highlights of theprogress made by my government in

discharging its mandate because soon I will be

able to provide a comprehensive report when

I give the State of the County Address to theCounty Assembly. My government has set

priorities in the provision of critical services,

set development agenda and is implementing

the five year strategic plan. Consequently, aswe celebrate Jamhuri day, as a County we

celebrate significant achievements realized in

key sectors of our economy such as provision

of Infrastructure, Health, Water, Education,Agriculture, Social Amenities, Trade and Land.


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3.1 Infrastructure


My government has in the past year embarked

on an aggressive program to gravel, grade and

upgrade roads across the County. We recently

completed re-carpeting Maua bank street loopwhile works on other streets is on-going. In

addition we have rolled out road upgrading of

approximately 600KMs across 45 Wards.

Further, we have also constructed over 500gabions, box culverts and bridges at the

following places: Kibubungi river in Kibirichia

Ward, Kameria-Atheri bridge in Kisima Ward,


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Marama bridge in Ruiri Ward, Rikii-Nkando

bridge in Timau Ward and Akithii box culvertto name but a few.

You are already aware that the tarmacking of

10 KM probase pilot project on Kianjai-Miathene-Mikinduri road is on course. The use

of probase technology to upgrade

approximately 300 KMs to bitumen standards

will usher in new technology of roadconstruction in Kenya. I am aware some

politicians and sceptics are misguiding people

about the source of money and who is

constructing the road. Let me assure you thatthe County Government of Meru is funding

the construction of the road with technology

outsourced from Malaysia.


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3.2 Health


As I have said before Health is a fully devolved

function. For this reason, my government has

made significant steps to revamp the sector.Due to the past gross neglect of some of the

health facilities in the County, it has taken a lot

of time and resources to rehabilitate facilities

and services. In particular, my government hasconcentrated in upgrading Meru Level 5

hospital because it is the regions referral

health facility.


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Next week on December 17 th l will launch astate-of-the art dialysis and cancer screening

Centre with equipment which have been

already acquired and installed at Meru Level 5

Hospital. Moreover, we have created aTrauma Centre to cater for auxiliary conditions

related to cancer and renal diseases.

Through collaboration with Kenya MethodistUniversity (KEMU) Meru Level 5 Hospital will

be upgraded to a teaching and referral

hospital. This means specialists will not only

use the hospital for teaching and training ofdoctors but also will be able to treat patients

with referral health conditions.


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3.3 Water


My government has made significant steps to

deal with the problems of water scarcity in the

County. Recently, we were able to construct 5rain water harvesting tanks in Igembe North.

The tanks have 225,000 cubic meters capacity.

Last week we signed an agreement to

construct 35 more tanks in the dry belt in theCounty. Once completed the 40 tanks will be

able to serve over 65,000 people.


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Further, this financial year my government is

planning to procure a water drilling machineto sink boreholes across the county with a

target of 15 boreholes each year. As you may

be aware the current practice of hiring

borehole sinking and drilling equipment iscostly but because of lack of water we have

utilized such services to assist people to

access water.

The Water Bill has already been passed into

law and my government has taken

management steps to streamline, enhance

efficiency, seal revenue leakages and cut onduplication of roles in water supply by

merging the two main water companies in the

County: these are IMETHA and MEWASS. The


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merging of the two companies will ensure

seamless and harmonious operations indelivery of water services to our people. The

law will also assist the Community Water

Projects to be transformed into Cooperatives

for easy management of the projects. Further,the government has signed agreement to

borrow money for the renovation and

expansion of the MEWASS water treatment

facility. I am aware that water problems havepersisted in the last few months arising from

the water treatment plant being old and

inadequate.

3.4 Education



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The employment of ECD teachers and the

construction of ECDE classrooms in everyWard have produced a combined effect of

improving enrolment by 10% this year. Indeed,

our County was the first County to employ

ECD teachers and we will continue to recruitmore in the next financial year.

My government want to assure the

Polytechnic Tutors that although the NationalGovernment has stopped paying them, my

government will pay their salaries by the end

of this month including all arrears.

The role a community has to play in the lives

of its younger generation is to bequeath a

cultural heritage. To this end my government


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is in the process of researching, writing and

producing a Kimeru Dictionary to preserve ourrich language and heritage. In fact, many

people are interested in contributing to this

noble task. Today, I have received manuscripts

and vocabulary from some of those who arekeen to ensure our language grows. To those

who have donated their research work,

bequeathed manuscripts and hand written

words, let me sincerely thank you. They will beformally acknowledged when the Dictionary is

published. I still urge others with such manuals

to donate them and help to quicken the

process of gathering vocabulary for theDictionary.


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I am aware there are those peddling lies about

the cost of the Dictionary but let me say youcannot put a cost to preserving posterity and

cultural heritage. Whatever the cost we are

determined to produce the Dictionary

3.5 Agriculture


My Government is committed to buildingAgriculture as the backbone of our economy

through empowering the grassroot people

and promoting livestock and fisheries sectors.

We have constructed 45 greenhouses andconducted training to farmers who are

involved in such farming.


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The main flagship project in Agriculture is the

livestock project. We already have completedconstruction of livestock sale yards in

Ngundune and Muthara and others are

underway. Construction of a dairy milk

processing plant is also ongoing at KaguruATC. We have acquired semen to upgrade the

quality of cows and breeds. These

technological skills will be administered by

well qualified veterinary officers who will beemployed soon. To facilitate growth and

development in agriculture my government

has entered into an MOU with Agriculture

Finance Corporation (AFC) to extend loans tofarmers at a subsidized interest rate of

between 5% and 10%.


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3.6 Social Amenities


To make Meru County a home of Sports and to

contribute to sporting which has made many

heroes and heroins in Kenya, my Governmentis upgrading Kinoru Stadium to International

Standards. Already Ksh.100 Million has been

allocated and phase one construction work is

already on progress. Phase two will also get100 million to make Kinoru an International

Stadium that will be able to host International

Sports.

3.7 Trade



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I am pleased to inform you that my

government has already installed a fullyautomated revenue collection system linking

all sub counties to register real time reporting

of revenue collection. This system is critical to

expanding our revenue base and revenuecollection.

We also are spearheading the formation of a

county microfinance corporation to guide andshepherd all SACCOs into great institutions for

the economic prosperity of our people. In

addition, our budget for this financial year

factored in seed money to be loaned toSACCOs. Cheques will be released in January

2015.


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My government has good news for coffee

farmers who sold their coffee through ourfacilities. The money for the sold coffee will be

released to farmers before Christmas. We

urge all farmers to work on improving the

quality of their coffee reap better prices.

We are at advanced stage of creating a Meru

County Investment and Development

Corporation to act as a custodian of countyassets and to manage business on behalf of

the county. Management of all investments is

critical for trade and industry to thrive.

Therefore, we have intervened in the case ofNtimanyakiru SACCO to protect public funds

from embezzlement by ensuring a new board

is elected and formation of taskforce to


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ensure good corporate governance in

management of cooperatives. The CountyGovernment has already challenged in court

the fraudulent sale of Meru North Union

property in Nairobi.

3.8 Land


Land issues have been comprehensivelyaddressed by my government. Issuance of title

deeds is at advanced level in collaboration

with the National Government. As you are


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aware the Cabinet Secretary for Land sent a

good team that has been working with CountyOfficers in various areas to speed up the

process. A total of 200,000 title deeds are

expected to be issued out in the following

areas; Uringu, Akithii, Amwathi/Maua,Kiengu/Kanjoo, Akirangondu, Kianjai,

Antuambui, Athinga/Athanja, Kitharene,

Naathu, Kangeta, Kiguchwa and

Athiru/Ruujine, Kiirua/Nkando among others.

My government initiated dialogue among

residents of Tigania West and Buuri

successfully removing a court case thatobstructed land adjudication. Now, my

government is following the amicable

resolution of the dispute by involving all


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residents of those areas in the decision of

adjudication and demarcation process. Justyesterday, I met residents of Tigania West and

Buuri together with the respective

committees that helped to settle the dispute.

Lastly, a law has been passed which I assented

to last week creating a management structure

for Nyambene Community Conservancy.

Through this law my government will be ableto put in place management structures to

make the Conservancy viable, secure and an

economic asset in the County. I urge those

who persistently keep on opposing this nobleinitiative to abandon their individual interests

for the greater good of the community.


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4. Christmas and New Year 2015


Finally, I wish everyone in this County a Merry

Christmas and a prosperous new year 2015 full

of Gods blessings.

Governor%27s Jamhuri Day Speech

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