On June 14, 2024 – EAC, ASALs and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza and her Education colleague Ezekiel Machogu defended the 2024-2025 budget and rallied Kenyans opposed to it to rethink their positions.
Speaking at St. Anne’s Muthale Girls Secondary school in Kitui West Sub County during a fundraiser, the two Cabinet Secretaries said it was a mark of patriotism for Kenyans to sacrifice for the development of their motherland.
Ms Malonza said the Government had earmarked many development projects across the country for which resource mobilization via taxation and other revenue collection measures were necessary for their implementation.
She said since Kitui was acutely water deficient, the Government has set out to fund many water projects to provide water to citizens in the county and improve their socio-economic welfare.
The CS said cited key development initiatives in the county such as the injection of Sh250 million for completion of Umaa Dam in Kitui Central Sub-County, Sh80 billion for Thwake Dam and the Sh1 billion for extension of water from Kiambere Dam to Kyuso Sub-County.
She said others include the Sh1.5 billion extension of water supply from Kindaruma Dam to Mwingi West and the construction of the Sh487 Billion High Grand Falls Dam which straddles Kitui and Tharaka Nithi counties.
She also listed the Sh1 billion extension of electricity to all public institutions through the rural electrification project.
She said that, additionally, the Government was constructing 37 power sub-stations in the country in which two would be in Kitui County in Mutomo and Kabati in a bid to stabilize power supply in the area.
Others include construction of modern markets in Kakongo, Kamuwongo and Ithiani as well as increasing National Government Constituency Development Fund allocation.
Saying that the Government yesterday released Sh8.05 billion as capitation for funding university education and would next week release capitation for primary and secondary schools, CS Machogu wondered where funds would come from unless Kenyans sacrificed to build their own country.
They were reacting to comments by Kitui West MP Edith Nyenze that the budget should be shot down for increasing taxation on Kenyans.
Mwingi West MP Charles Nguna had also criticized the budget plan saying he would introduce nine amendments to the bill in parliament.
The fundraiser was meant for construction of a perimeter wall, computer labs and a flyover to connect the school’s two compounds separated by a busy road.
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