Laikipia governor Joshua Irungu’s first year in office will focus on servicing Sh4 billion debt left by his predecessor Ndiritu Muriithi.
Governor Irungu said all allocations for development in 2022 /2023 financial year will be channelled towards debt offsetting.
“My administration is inheriting pending bills exceeding Sh4 billion. This indicates that for this financial year, all our allocations for development will go to service debts,” decried Irungu.
The county boss noted that he was holding talks with various stakeholders to find innovative ways to get development funds.
“To comfortably fund our operations, I am already in negotiations with various development partners who are willing to undertake resource mobilizations to generate additional development funds in pursuit for prosperity,” Irungu told residents moments after taking oath of office as governor at Nanyuki stadium.
The swearing in was conducted by Nyeri court presiding judge lady Justice Florence Muchemi.
However, Irungu who also served as the first Laikipia county governor in the advent of 2010 constitution promised residents that his manifesto which focused on six pillars of Agriculture and livestock production, water and sanitation, renewable energy, roads infrastructure and urban development, trade, industrialization, youth and employment and health care will be achieved to improve economic livelihoods of the locals.
“In agriculture and livestock production, we have the vision to transform this important sector into a sustainable, innovative and commercially oriented one contributing to food and nutritional security with increased income for the Laikipia people,” assured Irungu.
With the ravaging drought in the county, the governor said, plans are underway to establish a Laikipia North water and sewerage company and Board and at the same provide about 50,000 water tanks to residents for storage of water for domestic use.
“Our main goal will be to ensure that no resident will walk more than three kilometres in search of water for both domestic usage and livestock,” said the new county boss.
