Former Cabinet Secretary and Presidential Adviser Moses Kuria has moved to reassure residents of Ol Kalou that national government development projects will continue despite the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) losing the constituency in last week’s by-election.
In a statement issued after the vote, Kuria said he had spoken with Member of Parliament-elect Kamau Ngotho to congratulate him on his victory and to affirm that ongoing government programmes would not be affected by the election result.
“As the person who was coordinating development projects in Ol Kalou on behalf of the government, I have assured Ngotho that none of the projects will stop,” Kuria said.
His remarks come amid concerns that political changes can sometimes slow or derail public projects. Kuria insisted that development should not depend on which party wins an election, arguing that public investment belongs to all citizens.
Among the projects set to continue is the construction of Nyandarua University, alongside the tarmacking of the Ithagani–Nyaituga–Ngorika–Kanyiriti road and the access road to Lake Ol Bolosat.
Kuria also said operations on the Nairobi–Gilgil–Ol Kalou–Nyahururu railway line would continue, with daily cargo services and passenger trains running every Tuesday and Friday.
Residents can also expect work to proceed on all 36 rural electrification projects currently underway. The government, he said, will also continue installing electricity meters for households already connected to the national grid.
Water projects being implemented by the Central Rift Water Works Agency and the Ol Kalou Water Company will remain on course. Beneficiaries of the government’s clean cooking programme will continue receiving refilled LPG cylinders through designated National Oil Company of Kenya outlets.
The former Cabinet Secretary said agricultural support programmes would also continue. These include the planned distribution of 100,000 avocado seedlings, an initiative he said could help local farmers begin exporting produce to China within the next two years.
Support for dairy farmers through the NYOTA programme, expansion of irrigation under the Gwa Kiongo Dam project and Blue Economy initiatives at Gwa Kiongo, Githunguri and Lake Ol Bolosat will also proceed, according to Kuria.
He added that the government remains committed to completing the Ol Kalou Land Registry, issuing title deeds in colonial villages including Moa Farm, and finishing the Mashujaa Wing at JM Kariuki Hospital.
Other projects expected to continue include the construction of Ol Kalou Stadium, affordable housing units, student hostels at Rurii TVET, modern markets in Ol Kalou and Mirangine, as well as ward-based digital hubs and the rollout of smartboards and laptops in schools.
Kuria also said young people employed under the Climate Workx programme would continue serving until the end of their contracts.
“In a nutshell, both democracy and development will win because elections are not a matter of life and death,” he said.
His comments underline the government’s position that public development programmes should continue regardless of electoral outcomes, as the newly elected MP prepares to take office.
About the Author
