Implementation of the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) and Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) markets in West Pokot County will boost to the development agenda of the region, Governor Simon Kachapin has reiterated.
Speaking when he met the County AHP and ESP Markets Implementation Coordination Committee at the Governor’s official residence on Thursday, Kachapin said the county government fully supports the programmes calling on other stakeholders to follow suit for the benefit of the county.
He said that such programmes have come on a silver platter and hence should be accorded due support calling on residents not to politicize them but instead abide by the resolutions of the Public Participation drives conducted contrary to which the region stands to lose in terms of development.
“The projects have already been budgeted for therefore we should provide a conducive environment for their implementation. Our county has enough public land that can accommodate all the proposed projects and even more, therefore we should use this opportunity to benefit from the government development agenda,” stated Kachapin.
So far the government has identified sites for the construction of ESP markets which are Makutano, Alale, Ortum and Sigor at a cumulative sum of Sh205 million and handing over of the sites to the contractors is scheduled for next week.
According to the committee records, the Alale, Makutano and Sigor markets being done by one contractor will cost Sh147 million whereas the Ortum one Sh48 million making up the total cost for the markets project.
For AHP, sites identified for the projects include Bendera within Kapenguria Municipality, Sigor and Alale Prison lands among other areas where the committee will conduct visits and secure the places.
Kachapin appealed to the national government agencies to lend a hand in trying to secure some public land that has been encroached on by individual developers so that the region can benefit more from the AHP programme.
“The issue of land is quite emotive and some people may take advantage of the situation to advance their selfish political agenda. I ask for support from the government machinery to help secure those public utilities for the benefit of residents and not just for private individuals,” the governor appealed.
Kachapin challenged the implementers of the market designs to take into consideration the current and future trading patterns of the markets to attract more economic activities without hindrance.
He explained that as a county government, they had constructed several markets but sometimes traders have defied directives to occupy the markets on the pretext that selling along the roadsides wins them more customers because of the proximity.
“We have been forced sometimes to rub shoulders with these traders for instance in Ortum Market where they sell their merchandise along the roads thus endangering their lives,” regretted the governor.
Khalif maintained the committee’s commitment in ensuring that the earmarked projects are on course before the end of the financial year thus the need to iron out any bottlenecks through consultations.