By Boni Odinga
RARIEDA, Kenya — Saturday, 26 April 2025
Delivering on political promises will be the true currency of future campaigns, Deputy Chief of Staff for Delivery and Performance Eliud Owalo said on Saturday.
Speaking during the funeral of veteran educationist Hezron Onege in Oboch village, Rarieda, Mr Owalo stressed that the government’s credibility rests squarely on turning pledges into visible projects.
“Delivery on every campaign promise will inform the next political campaigns, and that’s why the government is very keen on keeping them,” he said, highlighting a renewed focus on accountability and tangible outcomes.
Owalo told mourners that fulfilling commitments is not simply good politics; it is essential for rebuilding public trust and driving sustainable development, especially in traditionally underserved regions.
Big Projects, Bigger Hopes for the Lake Region
Top among the projects is Phase 2 of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), which will extend from Kisumu to the Malaba border. The expansion is expected to transform trade links, ease movement, and boost regional integration.
In addition, Mr Owalo outlined plans to revitalise the Lake Region ring road. Negotiations with the World Bank and other partners are underway, he said, aiming to improve infrastructure that has long been neglected.
The government is also looking to breathe new life into the sugar and cotton industries, once vital to the region’s economy. Years of mismanagement and regulatory failure have left both sectors struggling.
Addressing concerns over artisanal mining — a sector often plagued by fatal accidents and legal bottlenecks — Owalo said the government would introduce safer, more sustainable practices.
He further announced that the government is moving to settle outstanding arrears owed to sugar farmers, a step he said would inject liquidity into the agricultural sector and restore faith among producers.
“We are not just chasing short-term gains. We are putting in place sustainable mechanisms to revive these key industries,” Mr Owalo said.
Value Addition: An Untapped Opportunity
Turning to livestock and leather, Owalo criticised the current market structure where hides fetch as little as fifty shillings each.
“It is absurd that locals here sell hides at such a low price, yet one hide can produce more than three pairs of shoes that sell at fifteen thousand shillings a pair,” he said.
The government plans to establish modern abattoirs and build a value addition chain for hides and skins, aiming to create jobs and retain wealth within local communities.
Teachers and Tallying Achievements
The funeral was also attended by Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Collins Oyuu, who praised the government for employing over 76,000 teachers in the past two years — an achievement he described as unprecedented.
“As the teaching fraternity, we are very happy. We’ve never had such a record number of teachers employed within such a short time as this,” Mr Oyuu said, welcoming the focus on strengthening the education sector.
Also present were Regional Commissioner Flora Mworoa and County Commissioner Norbert Komora, alongside security officials, underlining the administration’s collective effort to deliver on its promises.
Building for the Future
Looking ahead, Mr Owalo urged local leaders, development partners, and private sector players to join hands with the government in implementing these projects.
“Our objective is not just to fulfil promises, but to lay a foundation for generations to come,” he said, signalling a broader vision for a more prosperous and inclusive Lake Region.
The message was clear: in the coming years, it will not just be political slogans that voters remember — it will be the work done on the ground.
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