Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has outlined a multibillion shilling development programme for Murang’a County, with major investments in roads, affordable housing, markets, student hostels, electricity connectivity and irrigation aimed at stimulating economic growth and improving household incomes.
Speaking during a development tour and public engagements in Kandara and Kigumo constituencies on Friday, October 9, Kindiki said the Government had earmarked Sh56 billion for road projects, while another Sh27 billion from the Housing Fund was being channelled into markets, housing developments and student accommodation across the country.
He said the investments were part of the administration’s broader strategy to expand infrastructure, strengthen agricultural productivity, create employment opportunities and improve access to essential services.
Murang’a is also set to benefit from Sh2 billion for the construction of two international standard stadiums and Sh1 billion for electricity connectivity projects, according to the Deputy President.
In Kandara Constituency, the projects include the Ithiru Housing Complex, comprising 720 housing units at a cost of Sh1.4 billion, as well as the construction and improvement of markets to provide traders and farmers with better facilities.
Kabati Market is allocated Sh366 million, Kagunduini Market Sh144 million and Makenji Market Sh65 million.
The Government has also set aside Sh70 million to connect an additional 1,100 households in Kandara to electricity, extending power access to homes and supporting small businesses.
Kindiki said the infrastructure investments were intended to unlock economic opportunities at the grassroots by improving transport, providing better trading spaces and expanding access to electricity.
The projects come amid growing pressure on the Government to demonstrate how its development spending will translate into jobs, higher incomes and improved living standards for ordinary Kenyans.
The Deputy President also addressed concerns raised by farmers over returns from tea, even as he highlighted improved prices for coffee and milk, alongside reductions in the cost of key agricultural inputs.
He said the Government had taken measures to lower the cost of fertiliser, seeds and sexed semen to help farmers increase production and improve earnings.
However, tea farmers in Murang’a have called for interventions to improve returns from the crop, which remains an important source of income for households in the region.
Kindiki said he had undertaken to convey their concerns to the Government and ensure that the challenges facing tea growers during the current season were examined and addressed.
The concerns underline the continuing pressure on the Government to balance efforts to reduce production costs with measures that guarantee farmers better returns in the marketplace.
For many agricultural households, lower input costs can improve profit margins, but the ultimate benefit depends on the prices paid for their produce and the reliability of market access.
At a separate public engagement in Kinyona, Kigumo Constituency, Kindiki outlined measures intended to strengthen dairy farming and reduce losses incurred between production and the sale of milk.
He said the Government had distributed 230 milk coolers across the country, with a further 670 expected to become available from early next year.
The equipment is intended to improve milk preservation, reduce post production losses and enable dairy farmers to handle larger volumes of milk before delivery to processors and other buyers.
The Deputy President said the Government was also subsidising agricultural inputs, including fertiliser, seeds and sexed semen, as part of efforts to improve crop yields and dairy production.
Sexed semen technology enables farmers to influence the sex of offspring in cattle breeding, potentially helping dairy farmers expand productive herds and improve the efficiency of their operations.
Kindiki added that the Government was expanding land under irrigation to encourage year round cultivation and increase production of high value crops.
He said the measures were designed to strengthen food security, improve rural incomes and reduce farmers’ vulnerability to unreliable rainfall.
The Kinyona engagement also marked the launch of the Sh293 million Kinyona-Karinga Irrigation Project, which is expected to transform agricultural production for households in the area.
The project is designed to supply water to 1,500 households, enabling farmers to grow high value crops throughout the year rather than depend entirely on rainfall.
According to Kindiki, the scheme will cover 750 acres when completed, supporting the cultivation of vegetables, avocados, bananas, tomatoes and French beans.
The project is expected to raise agricultural productivity by allowing farmers to maintain production during dry periods, diversify their crops and take advantage of market opportunities beyond the main rainy seasons.
Kindiki said the irrigation scheme was projected to generate average annual incomes of Sh250,000 per acre once fully operational.
If achieved, the target could provide a significant boost to participating households, although the actual returns will depend on production costs, water availability, crop management and access to reliable markets.
The project is also expected to create opportunities along the agricultural value chain, including transport, produce aggregation, storage and marketing.
Irrigation has increasingly become a central part of efforts to strengthen food security and protect farmers against the effects of climate variability. However, the success of such schemes often depends on effective water management, maintenance and farmers’ ability to sell their produce at remunerative prices.
Sh27 billion for markets, housing and student accommodation
Kindiki said Murang’a was among the counties benefiting from a nationwide programme financed through the Housing Fund, with Sh27 billion being deployed to develop 27 fresh produce markets, nine housing projects and eight student accommodation projects.
The investments are intended to improve trading infrastructure, expand access to decent housing and address accommodation shortages affecting students in areas experiencing growing demand for technical and higher education.
Fresh produce markets are expected to provide farmers and traders with more organised spaces for selling agricultural products while improving the handling and distribution of food.
The housing and student accommodation projects are also expected to generate construction related employment and stimulate demand for local goods and services.
However, the long term impact of the investments will depend on timely completion, affordability, effective management and the ability of intended beneficiaries to access the facilities.
The Deputy President said projects worth Sh1 billion were under way in different parts of Murang’a to connect an additional 13,000 households to the national electricity grid.
The wider connectivity programme is intended to extend power to homes and public amenities, while supporting businesses, schools and other institutions.
Access to electricity is considered an important component of rural economic development because it enables enterprises to operate more efficiently, supports digital services and reduces reliance on more expensive energy sources.
Kindiki also cited the modernisation of the road network as a key part of the Government’s development agenda, saying improved transport infrastructure would support agriculture, trade and movement of people and goods.
For farmers in areas targeted by irrigation and market projects, better roads could reduce transportation costs and improve access to buyers, particularly for perishable produce such as vegetables, tomatoes and milk.
Call for unity and action against drug cartels
Beyond development projects, Kindiki urged residents to support national unity, reject political violence and provide information to authorities to help dismantle criminal networks involved in the distribution of illicit alcohol and narcotic substances.
He said the Government was concerned about the destruction of young people’s lives by drugs and illicit brews and called for cooperation between residents and security agencies to address the problem.
The appeal placed the fight against substance abuse alongside the administration’s development priorities, with the Deputy President urging communities to protect young people and promote peaceful political engagement.
The tour was attended by Lands and Housing Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome, Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Maina, nominated MP Sabina Chege, Maragua MP Mary Wamaua, nominated Senator Veronica Maina, Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi, local MCAs, grassroots leaders and officials of the National Irrigation Authority.
The Government’s commitments in Murang’a now face the test of implementation, with residents and farmers likely to judge the programmes by the completion of promised projects, improved agricultural earnings, reliable infrastructure and the number of households that ultimately benefit.
