Ruto Takes Industrialisation Beyond Nairobi With Kisii Park, Says He Has Delivered 2022 Pledge

President William Ruto has said his administration is delivering on a 2022 pledge to spread industrialisation beyond Nairobi and a few major urban centres, as he commissioned the Kisii County Aggregation and Industrial Park during a development tour of Gusiiland.

In a statement shared on his social media pages, the President said the government had promised Kenyans that manufacturing, value addition and jobs would be brought closer to farmers, traders, entrepreneurs and young people across the country. He said the commissioning of the Kisii facility shows that the commitment is now taking shape.

According to the President, 34 County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) are currently being developed across the country, with 15 of them already completed. The National Government has so far invested KSh8.5 billion in the programme.

Ruto added that a further KSh2.5 billion has been allocated in the current financial year for common-user manufacturing equipment in 17 counties. The equipment is meant to give small and medium-sized producers access to machinery they would otherwise struggle to afford.

The construction of the parks is being carried out jointly by the National and County governments, with each side contributing KSh250 million per park.

The President said the Kisii park will unlock the value of the region’s agricultural produce. Avocados will be processed into oil, bananas into flour and other food products, while tea will be blended and packaged for both local and international markets.

Kisii is known for its agricultural productivity, with farmers in the region growing bananas, avocados and tea, among other crops. Processing such produce locally is expected to help farmers earn more from their harvests, instead of selling raw products at low prices.

The commissioning is part of Ruto’s tour of Gusiiland, where he is engaging residents and inspecting development projects. His visit comes as political activity intensifies in different parts of the country ahead of the 2027 General Election, with leaders crisscrossing regions to highlight their records and projects.

The CAIP programme is a key part of the government’s bottom-up economic agenda, which seeks to create jobs and raise incomes by supporting value addition at the county level. With more parks expected to be completed, the government says the facilities will anchor local industries and open up new opportunities for young people.

Link; https://www.facebook.com/100044138484360/posts/1744568267024439/?app=fbl

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