Waiguru applauds UK and Kirinyaga partnership as envoy meets Central region governors

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has applauded the British Government for partnering with her county government in delivering socio-economic development programs.

The governor spoke at an event where the UK Ambassador to Kenya, Jane Marriot, met with Central Region Economic Bloc (CEREB) counties governors.

Waiguru said that the cordial relationship between Kirinyaga County and the UK Government is set to earn the county one of the biggest value addition factories in the county.

Through the UKAID funded Sustainable Urban Economic Development program (SUED), Kirinyaga will be putting up a husk’s factory in which the byproducts of agricultural produce such as coffee, cassava and rice will be made into furniture boards.

The factory will be a source of employment to county residents and earn extra income for farmers as well.

Through SUED, the county is also developing an Urban Economic Plan for Kerugoya/Kutus Municipality which is expected to be completed by August. The governor said that the plan will promote economic growth in a sustainable and inclusive manner through prioritized integrated projects.

It will also harness the great potential in the municipality transforming it into a major investment hub.

The governor said that the programs will go a long way in improving the livelihoods of the county residents and achieving the county’s development agenda.

She appealed to the Ambassador to extend similar economic empowerment programs to other counties within the economic bloc. Kirinyaga and Tharaka Nithi are the only counties in the region among the 12 in the country that qualified for the SUED program.

The ambassador noted that UK and Kenya enjoy cordial development partnership and that the former is willing to extend more development programs to more counties in the region.

The Central Economic Bloc comprises of ten counties namely Kirinyaga, Embu, Kiambu, Murang’a, Laikipia, Meru, Nakuru, Nyandarua, Nyeri and Tharaka Nithi.

Other governors who attended the meeting that was held in Nyeri were Muthomi Njuki (Tharaka Nithi), Francis Kimemia (Nyandarua), Mutahi Kahiga (Nyeri) and James Njoro (Kiambu).