Nairobi: Murang’a residents have been urged to embrace and protect government-funded development projects being rolled out across the country, particularly at the grassroots level, to entrench long-term social and economic transformation in their lives. Speaking during an economic empowerment program in Ithanga, Murang’a County, Murang’a Woman Representative, Betty Maina, highlighted the importance of community participation in ensuring success on government initiatives and projects meant to uplift the lives of grassroots people.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Woman Representative observed that the national government, through the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), was keen on addressing the needs of women, youth, and marginalized groups. The forum showcased the government’s commitment to addressing rural challenges through empowerment programs and infrastructure development such as electrification and water connectivity.
During the event, several youth and women groups received cheques, motorbikes, and beehives as part of income-generating support under NGAAF. The elderly residents in attendance received blankets and packages of essential food as well. A youth group leader who benefited from the support, James Muli, expressed their gratitude, noting that the motorbike they received would help them earn a decent livelihood. “We are a group of 22 young men who do menial jobs for a living but with this motorbike, we can start a decent venture as we await a car wash machine where more of us will be absorbed,” he said.
“This forum is a testimony that the government cares about you. These resources are meant to uplift you economically. But they will only have an impact if you take ownership, use them responsibly, and protect ongoing projects in your villages,” Maina said. She also called on local leaders and administrators to work closely with mwananchi to ensure smooth implementation of policies and programs aligned with the government’s bottom-up economic agenda.
Further, Maina urged parents to take their children to school, noting that education remains the strongest pillar of long-term transformation. “Just recently, the government has reduced the cost of university education and will continue making primary and secondary education more accessible, so as parents ensure and encourage your children to pursue education.” She decried the rising cases of children’s absenteeism from school in parts of Ithanga due to poverty, ignorance, and lack of parental guidance, and called for a mindset shift.
Ithanga Ward MCA, Alex Ndunda, thanked the national government for its continued focus on the region, which is one of the arid and semi-arid areas in Murang’a. However, he raised concerns over the slow pace of infrastructure development in some parts of the area, which he described as still lagging. “Ithanga has vast arid and semi-arid areas that continue to suffer from lack of clean water and electricity. These basic needs ought to be addressed for the people to realize the true impact of empowerment. I call upon you as the residents to support these government efforts, and any infrastructure projects here by protecting them because they are for our own good and development,” said Ndunda.
Assistant County Commissioner, Ithanga, Allan Njoroge, echoed the sentiments and urged residents to actively participate in safeguarding government investments, especially those that touch directly on livelihoods.
