OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, MACHAKOS Machakos County Governor Dr.

Alfred Mutua today chaired his 12th Cabinet meeting. During the meeting, the executive came up with strategies to speed up development to better the lives of the residents and make the county the benchmark for development in Kenya. Rapid Results Initiative The cabinet has launched a one month rapid results initiative to fast track all development projects within all 247 sub locations. Infrastructure and Water The cabinet identified roads, mulika mwizi lights and street lights as very essential in spurring economic growth within the county as movement and security of all people will be assured once this infrastructure is in place. Water has been a thorn in the flesh of the county residents and the cabinet has decided to up its efforts in ensuring the commodity is in plenty for all through water harvesting, borehole drilling and construction of water pans and dams. The strategy is such that each of the 300,000 households in the county will get clean drinking water by the year 2016. Health In the next 30 days, the County Government will buy seventy (70) ambulances fully fitted with the necessary medical equipment and paramedical staff for response to emergency cases. The ambulances will be distributed to each of the countys sixty-nine locations. This will reduce the suffering especially by pregnant women during delivery and reduce mortality rates significantly. The cabinet also approved the upgrading of at least one dispensary to community hospital complete with a mini theatre, a maternity ward and an ICU in across the entire county. Also, Governor Mutua directed that the Machakos Level 5 Hospital be upgraded in all aspects including cleanliness, clinical and medical care to international standards. There is no valid reason why public medical facilities are run down yet the same staff are the ones attending to patients in Nairobi, Aga Khan, and Karen private hospitals. He said

Agriculture Noting that the planting season is getting closer, the cabinet approved the procurement of certified seeds and fertilizers to all farmers at subsidized prices to increase yields and ensure the county is food secure. This strategy will ensure reduction in the cost of farming through subsidy and also increase the area under cultivation from the current under 20% to over 60% by 2016. The subsidy program will not only serve as a food security program but also as a wealth creation one. In line with the Governors pledge, the next two months will see tractors to till the land purchased and availed to farmers for free.