The Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology (KIHBT) is set to establish a training centre in Teso North Constituency, in Busia County.
Once operational, the centre will offer courses that will address the human resource needs of not only Teso North Constituency but the entire Western Region.
Speaking at Rwatama in Angurai South Ward during the site handover event to KIHBIT, area Member of Parliament Oku Kaunya said the training centre will greatly benefit the local community as it will minimise the training costs they have been incurring to send students to far flung institutions for training.
“I am appealing to Teso North residents and other stakeholders to support the project fully. Once complete the institution will economically empower the local community and uplift the social status
of the area.
“The institute will also bring a lot of changes to the area. The youths will be trained while the locals will have a variety of business opportunities at their disposal because the students will require where to live, where to eat and where to shop,” Kaunya said.
Kaunya called for a closer working relationship among the elected leaders in Teso North for the sake of development of the constituency.
He said the projects being implemented in the area whether they originate from the national or county government need everyone’s support as they are meant to benefit the residents.
He said: “Let us shun divisive politics and work together. The electioneering period is now behind us and all the community wants is development.”
KIHBIT Director Maurice Nabende, who received the site’s title deed on behalf of the institute, lauded the MP for giving them an opportunity to expand to other parts of the country.
“We are very grateful for the gesture. We are going to work together with the MP to develop a better training institute here in Rwatama,”he said.
Area Member of County Assembly Joseph Eseme thanked Kaunya for picking his ward as the location for the Training centre saying it will immensely change the status of the area.
Rwatama residents who are set to directly benefit from the project expressed gratitude for the initiative saying it will enhance the community through creation of jobs and opening of business
opportunities.
By Melechezedeck Ejakait and Ann Njuguna
