Ruto Nyanza point man: President won't punish you for supporting Raila
Mr Eliud Owalo (right), one of the UDA Deputy secretaries-general, with President William Ruto at an Economic Development Agenda workshop for six Nyanza counties last month.
President William Ruto will form an all-inclusive government without discriminating against those who voted for his main challenger, a Kenya Kwanza strategist from Nyanza has assured Kenyans.
Mr Eliud Owalo, seeking to quell fears that Dr Ruto’s administration could target the Luo for standing with Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga, said there will be no room for vengeance as they settle down to govern the country from today.
He appealed to Nyanza residents to embrace and be part of the new government in order to benefit from initiatives lined up for the region.
“As one of the leaders from Nyanza who went ahead of the rest, I am ready to be the bridge and will not lock the door for others who may decide to join us later,” he said.
Mr Owalo said civil servants from the community have no reason to panic and should discharge their duties as usual.
“Dr Ruto was with Raila in 2007 and he fought for him until the last minute. As our fellow Nilotic and a neighbour, we should not fear as the Kenya Kwanza manifesto, which factored all parts of the country, will be implemented to the letter,” he said.
He assured residents that the Kenya Kwanza administration will honour its pledge to all Kenyans.
"Our yardstick will be measured by the economic charters which were agreed upon during our consultative meetings with the people across the 47 counties," he said.
Among major planned projects, Mr Owalo said the sugar sector will be revitilised as Dr Ruto promised to bring back to life collapsed State millers run down by mismanagement.
“We want to ensure that Sony, Chemelil, Muhoroni and Miwani sugar companies operate to their maximum potential in order to support thousands of people who depended on the once lucrative sector,” he said.
Mr Owalo, who spoke on a local radio station, also noted that the Kenya Kwanza administration was eyeing the cotton industry, which was abandoned by previous regimes.
“It is unfortunate that Kisumu Cotton Mills (Kicomi), which was one of the major employers in the 80s and 90s, is now in a sorry state,” he said.
Ginneries
He also reiterated that they will set up several ginneries to support small-scale farmers in Homa Bay and Kisumu counties
The Ahero Irrigation Scheme, known for the growing of rice, will also benefit from the construction of a warehouse and a processing plant for value addition.
Mr Owalo also said the government will set up a fish processing plant around Lake Victoria and cut reliance on fish imported from China.
On tourism, he said Western Kenya will be marketed so that it can realise its full potential with major attractions such as Lake Victoria, the Tom Mboya Mausoleum, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum, Ndere and Kit Mikayi.
Other major infrastructure projects to be implemented include the upgrading of Kisumu International Airport, and building a major airport in Homa Bay to open up the South Nyanza region and a ring road along the Lake Victoria shoreline, and promotion of the blue economy.
He also affirmed that the planned Sh50 billion Hustler’s Fund will be activated within three to six months.
“Small businessmen will be able to access the fund at lower interest rates compared to bank loans, which are exploitative,” he said.
He noted that the fund will be decentralised to cover the more than 46,000 polling stations across the country.
