State House: Why President Ruto is relaunching projects
President William Ruto (right) and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.
State House has defended President William Ruto’s move to re-launch a number of road construction projects insisting that the move is in line with the Head of State’s pledge of completing stalled projects.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed Saturday said President Ruto’s visits to the different regions are part of his role as the Head of State which involves checking on the progress of projects funded by taxpayer’s resources, launching new ones, and even re-launching those that have stalled.
“It is a mark of responsibility for a President to ensure that all feasible projects, including those that stalled before his election, are completed. This commitment is actually part of the pledges President William Ruto made in the Kenya Kwanza manifesto, the very document that got him elected,” the State House spokesperson said on X.
He has also said that President Ruto is expected to make similar trips in the coming days across the country.
“During his development tours across the country, the President will continue to implement the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, including launching new projects, inspecting ongoing ones, and, where necessary, reviving and completing those that stalled before his election – all for the benefit of the people,” he added.
The clarification follows uproar from a section of Kenyans on social media who criticized the government for launching road construction projects numerous times.
For the past week, social media users have been posting clips of road construction projects launched but are in a dilapidated condition after they were abandoned.
During his recent visit to Kisii region, President Ruto commissioned a number of projects such as the construction of a cancer hospital in Kisii Town which had already been launched by former President Kenyatta in 2019.
President William Ruto at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Kisii County Cancer Treatment Centre in Nyaribari Chache Constituency, Kisii County.
In neighbouring Nyamira County, President Ruto launched the upgrading to bitumen standards and maintenance of Eronge road (D209) which is a key infrastructure in Borabu Constituency.
However, the same road was launched during Kenyatta’s administration by then Roads Cabinet Secretary James Macharia who was accompanied by his then Interior counterpart Fred Matiang’i.
Dr Ruto’s visit to the Kisii region was preceded by a previous visit to the Central Kenya region.
During his tour in the Central Kenya region, President Ruto also launched the Iriari Kanyuambora irrigation project which is expected to cost Sh280 million. The same project had also been launched in March 2021 by the former Water Cabinet Secretary at a cost of Sh220 million.
He also launched the Sh60 million Othaya Water Sewerage Plant in August last year. The same project had been launched by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2016.
Other projects launched by the head of state include the Sh15 million Githurai water supply project which was already launched in May 2020 and the construction of the Githurai Modern Market which had already been launched in 2019.
President Ruto also launched the Sh4.5 billion Ichamara-Thangathi-Rutune Road which has so far been launched in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023.
