Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika has assured Nakuru residents of a better performance and increased development by her administration in the new year.
Governor Kihika affirmed that the devolved unit was moving in the right direction and that her administration has put in place programs, strategies, and policies for the betterment of the economy and lives of all people.
“In 2024, we worked tirelessly to improve infrastructure, enhance healthcare, empower our youth, and ensure clean water and reliable services at every corner of our county. These achievements are a testimony of our commitment to make Nakuru a place of comfort, opportunity, and shared purpose for all of us,” she affirmed in a press statement.
“As we step into 2025, let us embrace hope, hard work, and unity. Together, we will continue strengthening our communities, creating opportunities, and making Nakuru a county we are all proud to call home,” she observed.
“This New Year presents us with an opportunity to reflect on the strides we have made together and to renew our commitment to building a prosperous, united, and thriving Nakuru as well as strengthening communities by creating more opportunities for growth,” the governor added.
Ms Kihika said despite facing great economic uncertainty and limited resources, her government weathered the challenges to post a good performance.
She said her government had transformed the health sector and ensured accessible, efficient, affordable, and high-quality services, despite a huge influx of patients from neighbouring counties.
The Susan Kihika administration has completed new health care facilities and refurbished existing ones to improve health care provision across all the 11 sub-counties. On infrastructure, with the support of the Members of the County Assembly, the county has completed several road projects.
The County has also witnessed the construction of several culverts, gabions, and bridges; maintained hundreds of kilometres of drainage, and constructed additional networks.
The Governor reiterated that her leadership was committed to the provision of clean and safe water for all the residents and added that in the year 2023/2024, her administration did various projects which included drilling of boreholes, electrifying 24 boreholes, rehabilitation of water springs and pans, and expansion of water pipelines.
Ms Kihika’s administration has also mitigated climate change by developing the Nakuru County Climate Action Plan 2023 and set up and trained climate change planning committees in all the 55 wards.
The county also embarked on planting over one million trees, improved waste disposal sites, and greening of selected sites.
A County Land Management System and an Electronic Development Application System (EDAMS) to increase the county’s revenue and reduce human interface in the approval process, has also been put in place. This is expected to fast-track the land management and development approval processes previously undertaken manually.
Ms. Kihika said her administration was focusing on promoting cooperation and stronger partnerships to increase trading activities among residents and other counties, locally and internationally.
“As a county administration, we are working hard to create an investor-friendly environment to attract both local and international investors. We need an environment suitable for small and medium enterprises all the way to the big investors seeking opportunities in our county,” she said.
Ms. Kihika said the county has great potential and opportunities to create jobs for youth and other residents.
“I am leading a dedicated team in ensuring that we position our economy to grow quickly,” she said.
She promised to continue improving access to healthcare and water, support agriculture, and strengthen the cooperative movement.
The County leadership is also keen on expediting land settlement while safeguarding essential public utilities within these communities by collaborating with the national government to seek solutions to long-standing land disputes.
Ms. Kihika pledged to enhance the working conditions of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers. She said her focus was on improving facilities at early childhood learning centres.
By Jane Ngugi
