By Rodgers Omondi, Busia
Head of Public Service and Chief of Staff Felix Koskei has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring equal development across all regions of the country.
Speaking at Lupida Primary School in Nambale Sub-County, Busia County, during a tree planting exercise and the issuance of two school buses to Lupida Secondary and Siera Girls’ Secondary Schools, Koskei urged Kenyans to support the government’s development agenda aimed at transforming the nation.
“The government is committed to ensuring that every part of this country receives its fair share of development. Kenya is one country, and all citizens are equal. We must move forward together as one nation. Let us work and support the government through our leaders so that we can achieve meaningful progress. We need to embrace the politics of development that benefits everyone,” said Koskei.
Koskei noted that the government was implementing inclusive programs to uplift all Kenyans regardless of their social or economic status. He cited initiatives such as the Women Enterprise Fund, Youth Fund, Affordable Fertilizer Programme, and the NYOTA project, which he said are designed to improve the livelihoods of citizens across the country.
On environmental conservation, Koskei challenged Kenyans to actively participate in tree planting, urging them to plant trees equivalent to their age during every rainy season.
“Today, we have planted a total of 30,000 trees, bringing Busia County’s total to 340,000. This is part of the government’s target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032. Let’s plant trees regularly because they support health, rainfall, and even business. If you are 50 years old, make it a habit to plant 50 trees every rainy season. This will transform our environment,” he said.
Principal Secretary for Planning Bonface Makokha said his department is preparing to launch community-driven economic and planning forums to enhance citizen participation in development.
“We are planning to train community champions, chiefs, and village elders to collect and update project data so that we can track development progress in real time. We will also roll out the ‘Gumzo la Uchumi Mashinani’ initiative to create a national dialogue on economic planning from the grassroots level,” Makokha said.
He added that the government is reviewing Vision 2030 to draw lessons that will inform Kenya’s long-term development blueprints for 2055 and 2063.
“We have launched a national training program for county planning officers to align county plans with the national development agenda. We are also training NGAO officers on data collection under a program called Emerging Paradigm in Data Ecosystems to ensure every village contributes evidence-based data for national decision-making,” he explained.
Principal Secretary for the State Department of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Susan Mang’eni encouraged the youth to take advantage of the NYOTA Program to access capital, start businesses, and create employment opportunities.
“We want to address the challenge of unemployment, and the NYOTA Program is one of the key initiatives. I urge leaders to support this effort by ensuring that once youth receive funds, they operate in a conducive business environment,” she said.
Mang’eni revealed that the Hustler Fund repayment rate in Busia County stands at 80 percent, and called on defaulters to clear their debts.
“In Busia County, we have disbursed close to Sh980 million through the Hustler Fund. I urge all beneficiaries to repay their loans so they can increase their limits and allow others to benefit. We are working to recover the remaining 20 percent,” she added.
CDF Board Chairperson Olago Aluoch said the two school buses issued would benefit not only the institutions but also the surrounding communities.
“These buses, valued at Sh7.6 million each, have been issued to Lupida Secondary School and Siera Girls’ Secondary School. They will serve the schools and the community at large. If managed well, they can also generate revenue for the schools,” he said.
