Over 26 special interest groups in Nyeri County on Thursday received Sh 4 million worth of equipment from the Nyeri County government.
The equipment which included lawn mowers, car wash pressure pumps, 100 capacity seater canopy tents, plastic chairs, are meant to widen the groups’ income streams. Ten local football and volleyball teams also received sports equipment, among them uniforms and balls.
During the handing over ceremony, Nyeri County boss, Mutahi Kahiga said that they were targeting an additional 15 wards in the first phase of the programme where the county government has set aside Sh 27 million to go towards empowering youth, women and people living with disability.
“A total of 17 wards out of the 35 elective wards will benefit from the first phase. The remaining 18 wards will be catered for during the second phase where we intend to put aside Sh 31 million during the 2021/2022 financial year to cater for the programme,” said Kahiga.
The programme is being implemented through the county’s department of Gender, Youth and Social Services and the area Member of County Assembly. The 27 groups which received the boost were drawn from two wards, Rware and Kamakwa.
At the same time, the governor has reassured traders of a smooth transition to the Sh 600 million Asian Quarters bus terminus once the project is complete.
He said that he has already set up a committee which will foresee the relocation process of the over 1,000 traders who are currently operating from the two bus terminus at the heart of the Nyeri Central Business District.
The governor said that hawkers who sell their wares along Gakere road would also be factored in once the county embarks on its plan to decongest the CBD.
“We have over 590 stalls, three eateries, 36 bus ticketing points, cyber cafes and over 200 parking bays and more than 1,000 traders to settle into these spaces. I am relying on the team that successfully relocated traders to the new Karatina Market and Chaka markets to move traders to the new terminus which is about to undergo the final assessment before we open it officially,” said Kahiga.
Construction of the Asian Quarters bus terminus was jointly funded by the county government and World Bank under the Kenya Urban Support Programme. The bus park is said to be one of the largest termini hubs in the country. Some of the notable amenities in the multi-billion bus park include a fire sub-station, bank ATMs, a police post, a power sub-station, a garage, an open air market, shops and an ICT Centre.
By Wangari Mwangi
