The government has prioritised improving the leather and dairy sectors in Narok County so as to boost the income the pastoralist community gets from their livestock.
Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya said when the two sectors are revamped, the people will have a better fortune as it will create job opportunities and boost income for the residents who entirely depend on livestock.
‘The Bottom-Up Economic model aims at addressing the real issues that affect the common man. If we get the leather and dairy industries right, we will have captured the real needs of the people,’ she said.
The CS spoke at the Zebu hotel on Wednesday during the fourth Medium Term Plan (MTP) dissemination forum, where she reiterated that the exercise has been very consultative as many people have been involved through the public participation forums.
She underscored the need for the county and national governments to work in collaboration so as to implement meaningful projects that will boost
the livelihood of the people.
Tuya, who hails from Narok County, revealed that the leather industry built by the government through the Ewaso Nyiro South Development Authority (ENSDA) will be revamped to produce finished leather products and create more jobs.
‘We are sitting on a gold mine. We want to exploit the resources we have so that everybody can benefit. Currently, our farmers are getting zero value for their skins and hides, which should not be the case,’ she said.
The CS called on Members of Parliament to pass the Finance Bill, saying the many ambitious projects that the government is targeting to accomplish need funds.
Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu lamented that the dairy farmers in the county were selling their milk at a throwaway price of Sh30 per litre because there is no milk processing plant in the county.
He revealed that the two levels of government are working together to build a mega milk plant in Limanet, Narok central subcounty, where the farmers will be selling their milk at a higher
price.
The governor also divulged that the government is building ten modern markets in the county to improve the working environment of vegetable vendors, commonly known as ‘mama mboga.’
The areas targeted for market construction are: Uhuru market, Ntulele, Ololulunga, Suswa, Emurrua Dikirr, Kilgoris, Olchoro, and Ewaso Nyiro markets.
Other major projects that the county wants to promote are: Ushanga curios to boost women’s beadwork; construction of the Narok-Bomet 88-kilometre, 132 KV transmission line; and promotion of Maa cultural festivals.
He said the fourth MTP is in line with the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) and expressed his commitment to ensuring that it is actualized so that the people can reap the benefits.
Ntutu added that the county aims to boost the county revenue from Sh1.2 billion to Sh3.2 billion in the next financial year.
The forum was attended by Tourism Principal Secretary John Olotua, Narok Executive Member for Finance David Muntet, Narok County Commissioner Kipkech L
otiatia, Speaker of the Narok County Assembly Davis Dikirr, a host of Members of County assembly and heads of departments, among others.
Source: Kenya News Agency