The national government is committed to speeding up the execution of infrastructure development projects in the coastal county of Kwale to bring positive change.
National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wa said the Kenya Kwanza government is keen to address infrastructure gaps across the country to see the improvement of key sectors of the economy such as agriculture, transportation, energy, healthcare and education.
Speaking during a funds drive for Tuchape Kazi Sacco Ltd in Lunga Lunga Sub County, Ichung’wa said the government was ready to fulfil its obligations to all Kenyans in respect of critical infrastructure.
Ichung’wa who was accompanied by Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani, Lungalunga MP Mangale Chiforomodo and nominated Senator Raphael Chimera helped raise Sh.3.3 million that will serve to boost the Tuchape Kazi Sacco Ltd kitty.
He said that it is the resolve of the national government to invest heavily in integrated infrastructure development in the counties to accelerate the country’s development as a whole.
Ichung’wa who is also the MP for Kikuyu constituency assured residents that the Kenya Kwanza regime will complete all the infrastructure projects in Kwale before the 2027 general elections.
Key ongoing projects in Kwale include the Sh20 billion Mwache multipurpose dam project, the Sh2.3 billion Diani airport rehabilitation and expansion project, the Sh 2.6 billion Shimoni fish port development, the Sh 1.15 billion Funzi causeway off Milalani-Munja road, the construction of the Sh3 billion Kwale-Kinango road among others.
He says the President Ruto led government was also determined to attract investors willing to inject resources into critical sectors of the economy in a bid to enhance the ease of doing business.
Ichung’wa was responding to calls by the local leadership of the national government to accelerate the delivery of new infrastructure projects for enhanced socio-economic development in the coastal county.
“President William Ruto has sent me to inform the residents to give him some time to get funds to finalize the ongoing infrastructure projects like the Kwale- Kinango road, Mwachande bridge and Funzi causeway in due time,” Ichungwa said.
The leaders led by area Governor Achani expressed displeasure at the current slow progress of infrastructure development implementation in the coastal region.
Achani quipped that the local political leadership was not happy seeing the slow speed of implementation at which development works being funded by the national government are taking place in the county.
“We need the support and intervention of the national government to fast track the ongoing development projects in our county,” said Achani.
The County boss pointed that the large-scale infrastructure projects in the coastal county traverse an area where fishing, agriculture and tourism are the main economic activities.
“If we are able to improve upon our infrastructure base then it will help us as a devolved government fast-track the development of our county,” she said.
She added that the ongoing projects were all critical infrastructure for the movement of goods and services across the coastal region.
The coastal county boss says the mega infrastructure projects must be completed if Kwale is to achieve its socio-economic growth expectations and ultimately help reduce poverty.
By Hussein Abdullahi
