Close to two and a half years after Tharaka Nithi governor Muthomi Njuki was barred from accessing office over fraud charges, the second term governor on Monday, March 6, 2023 hosted government officials, political leaders and residents drawn across the county at the office in Kathwana for interdenominational prayers and dedication.
In September 2020, Njuki and co-accused were barred from accessing county offices over KShs 34.9M fraud charges at the county until the case was heard and determined.
Njuki in his return to office speech highlighted efforts to deny him access to office as injustices orchestrated by the previous administration, attributing reprieve to voters and the Kenya Kwanza camp for his re-election for a second term.
“There was a time I did not step foot in or anywhere around this compound. But the people of Tharaka Nithi did not listen to the naysayers, they listened to the voice of reason, to their hearts and to God and said no,” he said.
Re-affirming Kenya Kwanza agenda
With the vision of a new cadre of governors under the leadership of President William Ruto, Njuki acknowledged that the government had discovered a gap in value addition for agricultural products, saying plans were in place to see every county has a Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
“90% of our residents are farmers. For a very long time, our county has been suffering from lack of market for our products. The gap will be addressed in the next four years through SEZ”, he said.
According to Njuki, President Ruto has made available a grant totaling to KShs 4.7 billion towards funding KShs 100 million to every county for the construction of SEZ, where county governments are expected to add a minimum of KShs 100 million to the project.
“I have already committed to give KShs 100 million in the next budget to match government grant and make available 100 acres of land as required for the start of SEZ in the county”, he added.
Other projects include completion of county headquarters, upgrading Chuka Referral Hospital to level 5 status and the re-engineering of Nithi bridge which all elected leaders vowed to lobby for during the President’s visit to the county on Sunday, 12 March.
Government appointments
Tharaka MP Gitonga Murugara called on elected leaders in the county to lobby for government appointments for election losers, thanking the Kenya Kwanza government for inclusion in some of the appointments already made.
“We can now access the president since power in Kenya has not left out Tharaka Nithi county. Other political aspirants who lose in other counties are fixed into government, let us try and ensure our election losers also get into government”, he said.
Other leaders who graced the event included Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki, Senator Mwenda Gataya, Speaker John Mbabu, County Commissioner Norbert Komora among other leaders.
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