SPEECH BY H.E. HON.

PETER MUNYA,
GOVERNOR,
COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF MERU DURING
THE JAMHURI DAY CELEBRATIONS HELD AT
MERU TECHNICAL TRAINING INSTITUTE ON
12TH DECEMBER, 2014.
1. 50th National Jamhuri Day Celebration
Today I am happy to join all citizens in Meru
County as we celebrate the 50th Jamhuri Day
since our Country became a sovereign
republic. Half a Century of independence and
freedom has ushered new generations of
citizens who are born free. For this reason, the
people of Meru join all other Kenyans to
congratulate our president whose charges
were dropped this week from foreign

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prosecution at the ICC. We also hope that the

two other Kenyans with cases at the ICC may
get justice.

Jamhuri is about celebrating our freedom

from

foreign,

colonial

and

oppressive

dominion. As a County we celebrate the

democratic

space and leadership

which

recently resulted to unity by all elected

leaders. May I take this early opportunity to
congratulate

and

appreciate

all

elected

leaders in Meru County for setting aside their

political and personal differences so as to
effectively serve the people. My government
welcomes this noble initiative for unity. I also
want to recognize the efforts of other
stakeholders such as the Njuri Ncheke, the

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Church

and

other

non-governmental

organizations who have played a key role in

uniting people for development.

2. Security
Ladies and gentlemen,

As we celebrate Jamhuri today through

parade, dance and songs, we also pause to
reflect on the affront to our cherished
democratic freedoms posed by external
threats in some parts of our country. Kenyans
treasure their freedoms to live and work
anywhere in this republic without fear and
discrimination. These freedoms have been
seriously threatened and undermined by
insecurity. Even though security is not yet a

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devolved

function,

County

Governments

should not continue to be relegated to being

spectators when the lives of people are put at
risk by terrorist and criminal elements.

As the legal framework is being considered by

the

national

legislature,

the

County

Governments wish to urge the National

Government to gazette the County Policing
Authority Regulations to enable Counties to
put security management mechanisms in
place as soon as possible. Management of
security at local level is a world-wide practice
which has been the missing link in our
Countrys security management system since
the devolution of functions. One key aspect of
security management at the County Level is to

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provide quick and immediate response to

incidences like the ones we have recently seen
in North Eastern Counties. Our proximity to
the

northern

frontier

makes

security

management a critical factor for development

of this County. In this connection, I urge all
citizens in this County to continue to live in
peace and harmony with one another and to
be vigilant during the Christmas festivities
ensuring strangers are carefully vetted in
hotels, shopping malls, Churches and other
public institutions.

3. Jamhuri highlights of the progress

made by the County Government

Ladies and gentlemen,

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Today I will make fewer highlights of the

progress

made

by

my

government

in

discharging its mandate because soon I will be

able to provide a comprehensive report when
I give the State of the County Address to the
County Assembly. My government has set
priorities in the provision of critical services,
set development agenda and is implementing
the five year strategic plan. Consequently, as
we celebrate Jamhuri day, as a County we
celebrate significant achievements realized in
key sectors of our economy such as provision
of Infrastructure, Health, Water, Education,
Agriculture, Social Amenities, Trade and Land.

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3.1

Infrastructure

Ladies and gentlemen,

My government has in the past year embarked

on an aggressive program to gravel, grade and
upgrade roads across the County. We recently
completed re-carpeting Maua bank street loop
while works on other streets is on-going. In
addition we have rolled out road upgrading of
approximately 600KMs across 45 Wards.
Further, we have also constructed over 500
gabions, box culverts and bridges at the
following places: Kibubungi river in Kibirichia
Ward, Kameria-Atheri bridge in Kisima Ward,

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Marama bridge in Ruiri Ward, Rikii-Nkando

bridge in Timau Ward and Akithii box culvert
to name but a few.

You are already aware that the tarmacking of

10 KM probase pilot project on KianjaiMiathene-Mikinduri road is on course. The use
of

probase

technology

to

upgrade

approximately 300 KMs to bitumen standards

will usher in new technology of road
construction in Kenya. I am aware some
politicians and sceptics are misguiding people
about the source of money and who is
constructing the road. Let me assure you that
the County Government of Meru is funding
the construction of the road with technology
outsourced from Malaysia.

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3.2

Health

Ladies and gentlemen,

As I have said before Health is a fully devolved

function. For this reason, my government has
made significant steps to revamp the sector.
Due to the past gross neglect of some of the
health facilities in the County, it has taken a lot
of time and resources to rehabilitate facilities
and services. In particular, my government has
concentrated in upgrading Meru Level 5
hospital because it is the regions referral
health facility.

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Next week on December 17th l will launch a

state-of-the art dialysis and cancer screening
Centre with equipment which have been
already acquired and installed at Meru Level 5
Hospital. Moreover, we have created a
Trauma Centre to cater for auxiliary conditions
related to cancer and renal diseases.

Through collaboration with Kenya Methodist

University (KEMU) Meru Level 5 Hospital will
be upgraded to a teaching and referral
hospital. This means specialists will not only
use the hospital for teaching and training of
doctors but also will be able to treat patients
with referral health conditions.

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3.3

Water

Ladies and gentlemen,

My government has made significant steps to

deal with the problems of water scarcity in the
County. Recently, we were able to construct 5
rain water harvesting tanks in Igembe North.
The tanks have 225,000 cubic meters capacity.
Last week we signed an agreement to
construct 35 more tanks in the dry belt in the
County. Once completed the 40 tanks will be
able to serve over 65,000 people.

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Further, this financial year my government is

planning to procure a water drilling machine
to sink boreholes across the county with a
target of 15 boreholes each year. As you may
be aware the current practice of hiring
borehole sinking and drilling equipment is
costly but because of lack of water we have
utilized such services to assist people to
access water.

The Water Bill has already been passed into

law

and

my

government

has

taken

management steps to streamline, enhance

efficiency, seal revenue leakages and cut on
duplication of roles in water supply by
merging the two main water companies in the
County: these are IMETHA and MEWASS. The

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merging of the two companies will ensure

seamless and harmonious operations in
delivery of water services to our people. The
law will also assist the Community Water
Projects to be transformed into Cooperatives
for easy management of the projects. Further,
the government has signed agreement to
borrow money for the renovation and
expansion of the MEWASS water treatment
facility. I am aware that water problems have
persisted in the last few months arising from
the water treatment plant being old and
inadequate.

3.4

Education

Ladies and gentlemen,

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The employment of ECD teachers and the

construction of ECDE classrooms in every
Ward have produced a combined effect of
improving enrolment by 10% this year. Indeed,
our County was the first County to employ
ECD teachers and we will continue to recruit
more in the next financial year.

My

government

want

to

assure

the

Polytechnic Tutors that although the National

Government has stopped paying them, my
government will pay their salaries by the end
of this month including all arrears.

The role a community has to play in the lives

of its younger generation is to bequeath a
cultural heritage. To this end my government

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is in the process of researching, writing and

producing a Kimeru Dictionary to preserve our
rich language and heritage. In fact, many
people are interested in contributing to this
noble task. Today, I have received manuscripts
and vocabulary from some of those who are
keen to ensure our language grows. To those
who have donated their research work,
bequeathed manuscripts and hand written
words, let me sincerely thank you. They will be
formally acknowledged when the Dictionary is
published. I still urge others with such manuals
to donate them and help to quicken the
process of gathering vocabulary for the
Dictionary.

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I am aware there are those peddling lies about

the cost of the Dictionary but let me say you
cannot put a cost to preserving posterity and
cultural heritage. Whatever the cost we are
determined to produce the Dictionary

3.5

Agriculture

Ladies and gentlemen,

My Government is committed to building

Agriculture as the backbone of our economy
through empowering the grassroot people
and promoting livestock and fisheries sectors.
We have constructed 45 greenhouses and
conducted training to farmers who are
involved in such farming.

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The main flagship project in Agriculture is the

livestock project. We already have completed
construction of

livestock sale

yards in

Ngundune and Muthara and others are

underway. Construction of a dairy milk
processing plant is also ongoing at Kaguru
ATC. We have acquired semen to upgrade the
quality

of

cows

and

breeds.

These

technological skills will be administered by

well qualified veterinary officers who will be
employed soon. To facilitate growth and
development in agriculture my government
has entered into an MOU with Agriculture
Finance Corporation (AFC) to extend loans to
farmers at a subsidized interest rate of
between 5% and 10%.

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3.6

Social Amenities

Ladies and gentlemen,

To make Meru County a home of Sports and to

contribute to sporting which has made many
heroes and heroins in Kenya, my Government
is upgrading Kinoru Stadium to International
Standards. Already Ksh.100 Million has been
allocated and phase one construction work is
already on progress. Phase two will also get
100 million to make Kinoru an International
Stadium that will be able to host International
Sports.

3.7

Trade

Ladies and gentlemen,

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I am pleased to inform you that my

government has already installed a fully
automated revenue collection system linking
all sub counties to register real time reporting
of revenue collection. This system is critical to
expanding our revenue base and revenue
collection.

We also are spearheading the formation of a

county microfinance corporation to guide and
shepherd all SACCOs into great institutions for
the economic prosperity of our people. In
addition, our budget for this financial year
factored in seed money to be loaned to
SACCOs. Cheques will be released in January
2015.

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My government has good news for coffee

farmers who sold their coffee through our
facilities. The money for the sold coffee will be
released to farmers before Christmas. We
urge all farmers to work on improving the
quality of their coffee reap better prices.

We are at advanced stage of creating a Meru

County

Investment

and

Development

Corporation to act as a custodian of county

assets and to manage business on behalf of
the county. Management of all investments is
critical for trade and industry to thrive.
Therefore, we have intervened in the case of
Ntimanyakiru SACCO to protect public funds
from embezzlement by ensuring a new board
is elected and formation of taskforce to

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ensure

good

corporate

governance

in

management of cooperatives. The County

Government has already challenged in court
the fraudulent sale of Meru North Union
property in Nairobi.

3.8

Land

Ladies and gentlemen,

Land issues have been comprehensively

addressed by my government. Issuance of title
deeds is at advanced level in collaboration
with the National Government. As you are

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aware the Cabinet Secretary for Land sent a

good team that has been working with County
Officers in various areas to speed up the
process. A total of 200,000 title deeds are
expected to be issued out in the following
areas;

Uringu,

Akithii,

Kiengu/Kanjoo,
Antuambui,

Amwathi/Maua,

Akirangondu,

Kianjai,

Athinga/Athanja,

Naathu,

Kangeta,

Kitharene,

Kiguchwa

and

Athiru/Ruujine, Kiirua/Nkando among others.

My government initiated dialogue among

residents

of

Tigania

West

and

Buuri

successfully removing a court case that

obstructed

land

government

is

adjudication.
following

the

Now,

my

amicable

resolution of the dispute by involving all

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residents of those areas in the decision of

adjudication and demarcation process. Just
yesterday, I met residents of Tigania West and
Buuri

together

with

the

respective

committees that helped to settle the dispute.

Lastly, a law has been passed which I assented

to last week creating a management structure
for

Nyambene

Community

Conservancy.

Through this law my government will be able

to put in place management structures to
make the Conservancy viable, secure and an
economic asset in the County. I urge those
who persistently keep on opposing this noble
initiative to abandon their individual interests
for the greater good of the community.

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4. Christmas and New Year 2015

Ladies and gentlemen,

Finally, I wish everyone in this County a Merry

Christmas and a prosperous new year 2015 full
of Gods blessings.

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