Uhuru moves to Sagana, President to address Mt Kenya region issues

By OLIVER MATHENGE Jan. 29, 2016

WEST MEETS EAST: President Muhammadu Buhari and

President Uhuru Kenyatta after the Kenya-Nigeria

Business Forum at a Nairobi hotel yesterday

PRESIDENT Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to move operations to the Sagana State Lodge in two weeks, as part of his plan to govern from outside Nairobi.

The President travels to Addis Ababa for the African Union Summit today and is expected back on Sunday. Next week, sources within the Presidency say the President will be working from Nairobi and will chair a Cabinet meeting on the 2016/17 Budget.

The Budget Policy Statement for the next financial year is to be tabled in Parliament by February 15, according to the National Treasury’s calendar.

After this, the President will go to Sagana, where he will deal with matters relating to the Mt Kenya region for about a month.

However, his stay in the region is likely to be interrupted by two foreign trips that are scheduled for February and March. According to State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu, Uhuru will travel to Israel in February and then visit France in March.

Last week, Esipisu confirmed a story carried in the Star that the President plans to works from outside the capital for most of this year. “As well, in the coming months, the President will continue to work from other counties outside of our nation’s capital Nairobi.

So, expect to see the President in a town and county near you soon,” Esipisu said in Mombasa. The President had stayed in the Coastal region for almost a month, having worked from there starting December 24 last year.

The plan is to have Uhuru interact with opinion leaders from all regions at the grassroots level and initiate several overdue development projects that were integral in Jubilee’s 2013 campaigns.

This is in response to concerns among Jubilee MPs, who are staring at losing their seats if the government fails to implement key projects, among them roads, on whose campaign agenda they were elected. During a meeting between Jubilee MPs and the President at State House, Nairobi, in December, the legislators complained that the government had delayed the rollout of crucial projects, upsetting the electorate.

While at the Sagana State Lodge Uhuru is expected to tour Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Laikipia, Nyandarua, Meru, Embu and Isiolo during his planned one-month stay in the region. The President is expected to tour the refurbished Karatina Open-air Market and other markets established under Economic Stimulus Programme.

Ministry of Housing officials led by Principal Secretary Aidah Njeri have been touring the projects to evaluate progress. Road improvement programmes in the region will also be a key focus for the President. The President will also visit Isiolo and inspect the upgrading of the Isiolo Airport.

In Isiolo, the President is expected to hold meetings with leaders from Isiolo, Mandera and Marsabit as well as different interest groups. The Star has learnt that from Mt Kenya the President is expected to move to the Nakuru State House, with the focus shifting to the Rift Valley.