Jumwa: Why Kenya Kwanza may have an uphill task in Kilifi
Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa.
Gender Cabinet Secretary Ms Aisha Jumwa has raised concern that Kilifi politicians allied to President William Ruto may have a hard time getting the support of the electorate, claiming that the region is being sidelined in terms of development.
Speaking during the County dissemination for the government’s Fourth Medium Term Plan 2023-2027 forum in Kilifi, Ms Jumwa said it was unfortunate that the Kenya Kwanza leaders would have nothing to show to the electorate at the grassroots when questioned about what the government has in store for them in the next four years.
Ms Jumwa criticised the team handling the Fourth Medium Term Plan 2023-2027 for sidelining Kilifi in key development projects to be implemented under President Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
“As we were going through the report, I saw infrastructure developments of 6,000kms among others but in other regions… they have broken down the projects. You find a bridge is being constructed, this road…and I told them you know when you are going to Kilifi and there are roads that we know are so dear to us but they have not been listed, how will that be? Because we are going to tell the people and they will go to the ground to see the projects being implemented by the President within the four years but if there is nothing for us then there is no need of going,” she said.
The Fourth Medium Term Plan is the last five-year Medium Term Plan of the Kenya Vision 2030 and will transition the country to the next long-term development blueprint.
According to Ms Jumwa, she brought to attention the lack of key projects for Kilifi in the plan.
“Even after the team promised to go back to the National Treasury and review the projects, unfortunately, there is nothing for Kilifi,” she said.
The CS cited the industrial park project that was yet to commence in Kilifi even after the County Government allocated sites.
She said as Kilifi leaders, they expected to see the implementation of different projects in areas where the county government has given land to the national government for development purposes.
“I am wondering why there is nothing for industrial parks in Kilifi while we see the project has started in other regions yet this is a national government programme but not even laying of the foundation stone has been done. It should not be that every time there is no money in Kilifi we are told there is no money,” she added.
The Gender Cabinet Secretary said the County government had released land in Kayafungo in Kaloleni and Gongoni in Magarini Sub-counties for the construction of industrial parks.
Ms Jumwa said the national government was also not clear on the allocations of the cashew nut and coconut crops that are of great economic value to the people of Kilifi.
In addition, she said the national government has failed to consider dairy farming in Kilifi where the county had the potential to produce milk for the commercial sector, as well as the Blue Economy.
However, Ms Jumwa stated that she was happy that the County Commissioner and the County Government were able to address the issues on land that was allocated for the affordable housing project.
