Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi has commissioned the first ever ultra-modern recreational park in Kabarnet town that will benefit residents and organised groups that for a long time have lacked space to undertake social activities.
Mr Cheboi said that the park established concurrently with market wholesale shades and a back street road, Jua Kali-Anyiny road, funded jointly by county government and World Bank at a total cost of Sh 56 million will enhance the provision of socio-cultural services within the fast-growing county headquarters.
“The park is very important because of its proximity to the hospital, which can provide a good relaxing space for patients as well as other residents who might want to use its serene environment to undertake physical exercises for healthy living,” Governor Cheboi said.
Speaking Wednesday at Kabarnet Public Park grounds, the county boss added that the market wholesale yard will provide a conducive environment for small-scale traders who have been undertaking their businesses along roadside and congested streets.
Governor Cheboi, accompanied by his deputy, Eng Felix Kimaiyo, County Commissioner Stephen Kutwa and Secretary for Urban and Metropolitan Development in the state department of Housing and Urban Development, Eng Benjamin Njenga, challenged the town traders to work very hard now that they have been facilitated to engage in 24-hour business so as to uplift their household livelihoods.
He urged residents to make good use of the market facility and avoid roadside hawking, and he said his administration will soon crack the whip on those who defy the directive.
Meanwhile, the governor said the new Jua Kali-Anyiny road will open up and decongest Kabarnet-Eldoret highway, which poses a great risk to market vendors.
He added that they are also developing critical infrastructure within major towns across the county, including cabro paving of pedestrian walkways, drainage works, installation of CCTV cameras and street lighting to promote urban settlements.
In his remarks, the Deputy Governor lauded the construction works of the three projects, which were said to have been completed in less than a year, beating the timeline stipulated in the construction frameworks.
Eng Kimaiyo encouraged the youth to take advantage of the public park in pursuing their creative content and earn income.
Eng Njenga, who supervised the construction of the three critical municipal projects, said there is need for the Baringo county government to charter more municipalities for them to get funding from Kenya Urban Support Programmes (KUSP).
The secretary said that his department has signed a five year collaboration agreement with the county administration and has already pumped Sh 120 million into the establishment of four market centres in Eldama Ravine, Kabartonjo, Marigat and Tangulbei in Tiaty East.
He called for maximum support in the implementation phase of the four markets in order to boost the economy of the common mwananchi.
Kabarnet ward MCA Ernest Kibet said the population of Kabarnet town, the county headquarters, is growing at a very fast rate; hence, there is need for key stakeholders to find ways of addressing sanitation challenges within the town.
Kibet also encouraged investors to expand facilities in the town, calling on landowners to pave the way for industrialization and commercialization of urban settlements.
By Benson Kelio and Joshua Kibet
