Non-performing ministers will be sacked, warns Uhuru

President Uhuru Kenyatta inspects progress at the Aiyaibei Dam during the Official Ground breaking Ceremony for the National Food Security Project: Galana/ Kulalu Model Farm at Galana in Tana River County.  Photo/WILLIAM OERI

In Summary

• President Uhuru Kenyatta has warned cabinet secretaries against laxity saying those who fail to perform will be sacked immediately.
• “We have been around for eight months now and no one should claim that he or she is not familiar with his ministry. "
• “My Government will create favourable conditions for private sector participation in this project and will provide required resources to ensure provision of key infrastructure.”

By NATION REPORTER
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President Uhuru Kenyatta has warned cabinet secretaries against laxity saying those who fail to perform will be sacked immediately.

While launching the one million acre Galana/ Kulalu food security project, the region’s biggest ever irrigation scheme, Mr Kenyatta said the time for non-performing state officers is over. “We have been around for eight months now and no one should claim that he or she is not familiar with his ministry.

"Time for familiarisation is over and you have to deliver. Those who will not deliver will have to pack and go,” the President said in reference to Cabinet secretaries and Principal Secretaries in different ministries.

He ordered the Agriculture cabinet secretary Felix Koskei to make sure the irrigation project is implemented successfully and on schedule.

RAIN-FED AGRICULTURE

He called on the county governments to support the implementation of national government projects to improve the general well-being of Kenyans.

“Kenyans will ask me what I did for them in the five years I was in power, so let’s put politics aside and work together to realise our dreams as a country,” he said.

The project, aimed at improving the country’s food security by breaking away from reliance on rain-fed agriculture, is also expected to create two million jobs.

The 1 million-acre farm, belonging to the agriculture Developed Corporation (ADC) would have 500,000 acres put under maize production, 200,000 acres under sugarcane to help fix  the perennial sugar shortage deficit in the country. Another 150,000 acres will be under beef cattle, game animals and fish ponds among other ventures.

Agriculture cabinet secretary said the government will invest Sh120 billion in infrastructural development while Sh250 billion will come from private partners.

The ministry has also set aside Sh150 million for the development of water pans for the pastoral communities and game animals from the Tsavo East Natonal Park.

“The government will build a police station on the farm to beef up security for farmers and investors,” said Koskei.

Tana River leaders welcomed the project but on condition that 70 per cent of jobs from the projects benefit the host counties of Kilifi and Tana river.

Kilifi governor Amason Kingi said that the contentious issues in the project will be ironed out.

Kingi added that the scheme will revive stalled projects such as the construction of the Malindi-Sala Gate road and the Kilifi-Lango Baya road and other projects.

OUTGROWER FARMERS

The Kilifi governor also urged the Agriculture ministry to consider having outgrower farmers as immediate beneficiaries of the project.

“We want the outgrower system where local farmers will be allocated parcels of land and sell there produce to the factories that are about to be set up here,” he said.

The president acknowledged that there are issues to be resolved before operations on the farm start in earnest and ordered a meeting of the leaders of the two counties and the Agriculture ministry to be held and give him the outcome in two weeks.

“Problems are everywhere but you leaders will have to meet the Agriculture ministry in two weeks,” said the President.

“My Government will create favourable conditions for private sector participation in this project and will provide required resources to ensure provision of key infrastructure.”

"This programme will be strategically implemented to take advantage of Lapsset road and rail networks, airports and the proximity to the sea. All these will ensure efficient movement of produce to markets,” Mr Kenyatta said.

The government also plans to put up aqua parks with business components running concurrently, such as fish production farms for supply of table size fish, fish seed hatcheries, fish processing units for the final processed products as well as a quality fish feed processing factory which can serve the farm and the fish farming communities in the coastal region.