President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday kicked off the mass issuance of title deeds to landowners in Samburu County, reaffirming Government’s commitment to inclusive development across the country.
Noting that only 18 title deeds had been issued to Samburu County before his tenure, the President said the over 20,000 titles that will have been distributed by the end of his term, will help unlock the immense economic potential of the vast county.
“All the administrations before mine had only issued 18 title deeds for the whole of Samburu County. But from 2018 to date, we will have issued 20,000 title deeds to the people of Samburu.
“This is development because you can use this document to get loans for investment and improve your lives,” President Kenyatta told thousands of Samburu residents at Kenyatta Stadium in Maralal town where he presided over the title deed issuance exercise.
The Head of State, who had earlier officially commissioned the new 65-kilometre Naibor (Posta)–Kisima–Maralal Road, commended Samburu leaders for their cooperation which he said had made it possible for the national Government to successfully implement key projects in the county.
The new Naibor (Posta) – Kisima – Maralal Road was tarmacked at a cost of Kshs 3.36 billion.
At the same time, the President announced that the national Government had set aside Kshs 1 billion this financial year for further improvement of the key road.
“This road is important because it will open up the county and attract more investors who will in turn put up factories and create employment for the youth,” the President said.
President Kenyatta who also launched Yamo Dam which is set to provide clean water to over 64,000 residents of Maralal town and its environs, said the Government had allocated Kshs 1.3 billion for the project’s water treatment plant and piping.
On the forthcoming elections, the President counseled to urge Samburu residents to vote for focused leaders capable of sustaining the country’s current development momentum.
He emphasized that Kenya needs genuine leaders and selfless leaders capable of sacrificing their personal ambition and comfort for the country's sake.
“For the period I have been in leadership, I wouldn’t have achieved much if you didn’t give me good intentional leaders who were willing to work with me. Our success has been dependent on partnering with other good leaders.
“If you are a leader who insult others, criticizes others and spreads falsehoods about others then be ready to reap the same.
“Even God said, you will reap what you sow. If you sow propaganda you will reap propaganda but when you sow good seeds you will also reap good things,” the President said.
Once again, President Kenyatta called on Kenyans to join him in picking Azimio La Umoja candidates Raila Odinga and running mate Martha Karua in the August polls saying, the duo were the most qualified to steer Kenya to higher levels of development.
“I kindly ask you to vote for Raila who can safely steer this country to another level of socio-economic development. When you give leadership to a good person, I know when I come back you will give me a good report of more development taking place”, he said.
Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney regretted that for a long time, Kenyan women were excluded from land ownership due to legal bottlenecks, and thanked President Kenyatta for spearheading reforms that enables women to now own real estate.
“Your Excellency we do not take that for granted. It has been a long time coming for a Samburu woman to own land. Under your leadership, Your Excellency, we have been able to gift many Samburu women with title documents.
“This means Your Excellency, from now onwards, a woman can cultivate her land and also do irrigation with the water coming from Yamo Dam and thereafter access markets for their produce because of the tarmacked road,” CS Karoney said.
The President was accompanied on the development tour by tens of Samburu leaders and several senior Government officials.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Republic of Kenya.
