President William Ruto explained that the smart city, which will have 2,000 affordable housing units and other amenities, will create jobs and business opportunities for the residents, and attract investors to the border town. The post Ruto announces Ksh4B Malaba smart city project appeared first on KBC Digital .
The Government will invest Ksh4 billion in a new smart city in Malaba, Busia County, President William Ruto has announced.
The President explained that the smart city, which will have 2,000 affordable housing units and other amenities, will create jobs and business opportunities for the residents, and attract investors to the border town.
“We will build a smart city in Malaba so that it starts looking better and stops looking like a shopping centre,” he said.
Addressing a delegation of grassroots leaders from the Iteso community at the Eldoret State Lodge, Uasin Gishu County, on Saturday, President Ruto said the Government has allocated Ksh18 billion to Busia County for the construction of affordable houses, modern markets and university and college student hostels,
“Nationally, the Affordable Housing Programme has so far employed 1.1 million people, including architects, quantity surveyors, mechanical engineers, plumbers, carpenters, electricians and masons, among others,” he said.
On the 1.5 per cent Housing Fund paid by employees and employers to support the Affordable Housing Programme, the President said public servants have not suffered financial loss because they have benefited from a 10 per cent salary in recent years.
The President commended leaders from Busia County for educating the residents on the need to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying 449,000 people – 50 per cent of the county’s population – have so far registered.
During the meeting, His Royal Highness Papa Emorimor Paul Sande Emolot Etomeileng III, the King of the Teso community in Kenya and Uganda, installed President Ruto as an elder and bestowed upon him the name Ojokotau, a Teso meaning “someone with a big heart”
At the same time, President Ruto reiterated his resolve to unite Kenyans, saying leaders should embrace issue-based politics ahead of the next General Election.
The President pointed out that the era of tribal politics in Kenya ended during the 2022 General Election, shifting focus instead toward policy-based politics.
He said Kenya has no room anymore for tribal and discriminatory politics.
“During the 2022 General Election, Kenyans ended tribal politics and in 2024, the formation of the Broad-Based Government eliminated the politics of discrimination,” he said.
President Ruto explained that he was confident that in next year’s General Election, Kenyans will thoroughly vet leaders on the basis of their development track record and service delivery rather than empty rhetoric and tribal affiliation.
The President took issue with some politicians, whom he accused of trying to revert the country to backward and tribal-based alignments ahead of the elections.
He urged leaders to focus on the national development agenda instead of sloganeering without explaining how to address challenges facing Kenyans.
He said it was not enough for his critics to continue with the ‘Ruto must go’ slogan without explaining their agenda and plan to the voters.
“Next year’s General Election will be decisive and consequential. We will bring to an end the stale politics of division, fragmentation and marginalisation, and usher in the politics of unity, inclusion and transformation, one that leaves no community and no part of Kenya behind,” President Ruto said.
He urged Kenyans to reject his political competitors, describing them as “puppets” on the payroll of an unnamed political master.
Pointing out that his opponents lacked a vision or agenda for the country, the President added that they were only interested in fulfilling the aspirations of their sponsor.
“After their sponsor failed to do the work I am doing, he has paid them to oppose all the projects my administration is undertaking,” he said.
Teso North MP Oku Kaunya, who read a memorandum on behalf of the delegation, said they were united in their support of the President and will work with him in the lead up to the next election.
“We have chosen unity; we have chosen partnership; we have chosen to participate in building Kenya with Your Excellency,” he said.
Teso South MP Mary Emase said the community support President Ruto, citing development projects undertaken by his administration.
The leaders thanked the Government for identifying the Butula-Nambale-Amukura-Kocholia road for tracking, and said they were looking forward to the launch of construction.
“I want to assure you that all leaders in Teso have resolved to put aside their differences and support your re-election next year,” Kaunya said.
The post Ruto announces Ksh4B Malaba smart city project appeared first on KBC Digital.
