Preparations for this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations to be held on 1st June at the Masinde Muliro Stadium in Bungoma County are on course.
The Principal Secretary (PS) Interior, Raymond Omolo, said that the technical teams are on the ground, to ensure that the Stadium and other amenities are ready for celebrations.
This year’s Madaraka Day celebration’s theme is “Promoting Agriculture and food security’ with Mr. Omolo adding that Bungoma County had all the ingredients needed for food security as it had food for export and for local consumption and was well placed to host the event.
The PS noted that among the amenities to be rehabilitated include roads that are crucial in promoting food security, noting that adequate preparations are in place and the event would be a success.
Omolo who was speaking in Bungoma after a tour of the Stadium, said that the Planning Committee was working closely with the local leadership and the security team, to ensure everything is in order and as expected.
The Principal Secretary for Livestock, Mr. Jonathan Mueke, said the Ministry of Agriculture would use the opportunity to highlight the priority value chain within agriculture such as that in rice, cotton edible oils and leather.
He said the Ministry will create awareness to farmers and stakeholders on agriculture sector, throughout the value chain, from farms to production to value addition and to the market.
The PS asked farmers in the area to go for subsidized fertilizer at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), with price reduced by the government, as a step towards improving on food production and to make the county food secure.
The Governor, Bungoma County, Kenneth Lusaka, asked residents to take advantage of the opportunity given to the County to host the event, to promote their businesses and other activities that will improve their livelihoods besides being responsible ambassadors of the County.
He thanked the government for giving Bungoma County the chance to host the event and asked the residents who were still occupying Stadium land at Kanduyi, to vacate and enable the celebrations Organizing Committee, to prepare the venue and its environment as planned.
By Catherine Nyongesa
