By Debra Rono
Kirinyaga County Governor Anne Waiguru has urged the residents of Central Kenya to reject opposition politics and instead rally behind President William Ruto as he works to fulfil his commitments to them.
“We as the people of Kirinyaga are not moving to the opposition side, we are not moving from government to join the opposition, we are staying in government so that we continue benefiting in terms of development,” Waiguru asserted.
While addressing a gathering in Kangai, Mwea, where she distributed chairs, sports equipment, water pipes, and fishpond liners to various community groups, Waiguru encouraged her supporters to steer clear of divisive political figures and to back Ruto’s administration.
She emphasized the importance of supporting local projects, highlighting the recently inaugurated Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Sagana, Kirinyaga County, which she believes will generate employment opportunities.
“A few days ago, President Ruto launched an Export Processing Zone in Kirinyaga, the first in the entire Mt. Kenya region. This is a huge honour and it will create jobs for our young people and provide a market for our farmers to sell their produce as the processing plant will be near,” Waiguru noted.
Additionally, Governor Waiguru expressed concern over the rising prevalence of lifestyle diseases in the county, linking it to the high consumption of locally grown rice.
She announced a partnership between the county government and the Ministry of Health aimed at providing public education on dietary practices to enhance the nutrition of Kirinyaga residents, alongside the introduction of a fish farming initiative as an alternative food source.
“Statistics from the Ministry of Health indicate that Kirinyaga leads the nation in lifestyle diseases, suggesting a significant prevalence of obesity, which can lead to other health issues,” Governor Waiguru remarked.