REPUBLIC OF KENYA

MIGORI COUNTY
SPEECH BY
H.E THE GOVERNOR OF MIGORI
HON. ZACHARY OKOTH OBADO
TO
THE COUNTY ASSEMBLY OF MIGORI
ON THE OCCASSION OF ITS OFFICIAL
OPENING
ON
FEBRUARY 10TH, 2015

AT THE MIGORI COUNTY ASSEMBLY

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Members of the County Assembly of Migori
Honourable Members of the Migori County Executive Committee
Invited Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a great honour to once again preside over the opening of another
session of the honourable County Assembly of Migori. It is my pleasure
to welcome you back after a long recess, which I believe you used well
to interact with your voters, captured their concerns and are ready to
articulate them in this House.
I believe youre more energized and will serve your county well after
such a deserved rest. Mr. Speaker, this House has distinguished itself as
a remarkable, sober and issue-driven one. This has enabled us, the
County of Migori, achieve tremendous progress that places the citizen
first, over a very short time.
This House has also demonstrated maturity, as a result of which the
County leadership and the people in general, have realized peace and
stability, in spite of our diversity, which is the envy of many counties. It
is this maturity, unity and shared sense of purpose that will make Migori
County progress.
Mr. Speaker, during the recess, I had the misfortune of losing my CECM
for Environment and Disaster Management, Dr. Polycarp Eric
wambiAtinga. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Atingawas such a dedicated member of
my Committee. He had shown unrivalled dedication to environmental
conservation. By the time of his demise, Dr. Atinga had supervised the
implementation of a youth-driven reforestation programme throughout

the county and was in the process of implementing the second phase
when death plucked him away.
Mr. Speaker, this County will not progress if we, the leaders, do not lead
in vision and action; our vision of a vibrant and prosperous county is
coherent and must continue to be well articulated in our policies. The
dream we all must bear is that of a county in which basic human needs
are attended to; a county in which hunger, deprivation and injustice are
unknown; a county in which every citizen has an opportunity to grow to
their greatest potential. To realize our collective dreams and serve our
people effectively, we must continue setting aside our social, political or
economic differences in the duration of our term.
Mr. Speaker, it depresses me to note that fifty-two years after
Independence, many of our people in Migori still live in mud-walled
huts, our children attend school in mud-walled classrooms; while
illiteracy and waterborne diseases abound. We look down in shame
whenever we take visitors into our homes lit by kerosene lamps, which
our suffering children use to study. We must work together to change
these circumstances.
Indeed Mr. Speaker, this Countys ambition of creating a modern
economy and contributing to the realization of Kenyas Vision 2030 will
remain a mirage if our response to the universal challenges of ignorance,
unemployment, poor infrastructure, disease, poverty, hunger, and
environmental degradation, is wanting.
We must together initiate programmes that will not only address basic
human needs but will also improve, not just literacy, but the education of
our young people, create jobs, wealth and ensure food security, reduce
the disease burden, upgrade our infrastructure and promote sustainable
use of our resources.
In spite of many challenges, the spirit of our people has been amazing!
Our children have often scored well at national examinations and

ventured into professional areas that make us all proud. It is our duty to
support their efforts by providing an enabling environment.
I want to thank the Honourable Assembly in this regard, for supporting
the Ksh80 million worth of scholarships offered to needy children
through the Wards Development Fund (WDF), which has ensured that
many disadvantaged children attend schools. My government has also
started a new scholarship programme worth Ksh20 million, which was
launched yesterday, to assist bright but needy students to go through
school.
In total, my government will spend Ksh100 million in education support.
This amount will be increased each year to ensure more of our children
access quality education to help build a better and richer Migori.
Mr. Speaker, my government is fully committed to the implementation
of the WDF, which will be administered in accordance with the law and
existing regulations as outlined in Circular of the Controller of Budget
No. OCOB/CIRCULAR No.26/2014 of December 18, 2014.
Mr. Speaker, to enhance education at the devolved levels, which are
polytechnics and Early Childhood Development Educationcentres, we
are in the process of completing the construction of TEN new
polytechnics, which will bring the total number of polytechnics in the
County to 23. These polytechnics will provide professional training for
our youth and equip them for crucial and productive roles in the
economy.
We are also building 120 new ECDE classrooms, which have been well
distributed in the County, with each ward getting three classrooms.
More such classrooms will be built and, as we are all aware, the
sighting of the ECDE classrooms were successful because Honourable
Members were involved. We believe that this involvement in
development should continue because through it, we shall achieve a lot
more.

However Mr. Speaker, the construction of classrooms has faced

challenges as some contractors have not met their obligations. Many
classrooms are, therefore, still incomplete, which is a big
disappointment. To address this, all contractors, including those for other
sectors that have not done their part are hereby given 21 days to
complete the job or get out.
The relevant departments with pending works and the department of
Finance are also hereby instructed to start the process of revoking those
tenders and ensuring works resume at those sites. I also hereby direct the
department of Finance to immediately pay all contractors who have
completed their works satisfactorily.
Mr. Speaker, in order to enhance the Assemblys participation and that of
the community in education infrastructure development, the next phase
of ECDE classroom development, which will be part of efforts to
construct ECDE units in all the 660 public primary schools in the
county, will be devolved to the grassroots and resources allocated
directly to school committees.
We are sure this will ensure local populations are employed in the
constructions, while there will be more prudent use of resources as
malpractices often associated with tendering processes, which results in
inflation of costs, will be contained, if not completely eliminated. In the
same vein, all tenders will be advertised at the ward level as they will be
in other media with national reach.
Mr. Speaker, creating wealth for our citizens is a priority of my
government. That is why I have often stated that our intention is to
create a 24-hr economy in Migori. Such an economy would ensure our
people trade and grow their wealth in dignity and to the best of their
ability.
Towards this noble goal, my government will construct a total of 16 new
fresh produce and horticulture market sheds, i.e. two in each sub county
at a cost of Ksh80 million. Older markets constructed under the ESP

programme and those built by the defunct local authorities, will also be
renovated or refurbished where necessary.
This construction and renovation programme will be in addition to an
earlier one started last year, in which youth and women groups were
contracted to build 80 latrine units and 8 toilet buildings at various
market centres at a cost of Ksh48 million. I am glad to note that although
there were hiccups at the commencement of this programme, some of
the projects have been completed and paid while the remainder is on
course.
Mr. Speaker, as part of our efforts to realize the 24-hr economy, my
government is in the final stages of awarding tenders for street lighting
at a cost of Ksh160million. The lights will be located at all urban centres
and markets across the county. With the street lights, we also expect
security to improve across the county wherever they will be located.
To strengthen the capacity of traders, increase savings and strengthen
cooperatives, Mr. Speaker, my government will intensify training of
traders and support investment through savings in cooperative societies.
My government will soon launch a programme of empowering
cooperatives through capacity training, recruitment, better management
practices and audits.
As a first step, all Cooperative Societies and SACCOs have been
directed to ensure that all their payments are cashless they are required
to have mobile money payment platforms and those that can, to transact
through other online payment platforms. This will help reduce fraud,
increase loyalty and reduce the number of societies collapsing due to
loss of confidence in leadership.
Mr. Speaker, our propensity to save must far much outweigh that of our
consumption. My government will therefore aggressively mobilize
wananchi to join or form SACCOsand design strategies that will
enhance saving as we also look forward to setting up adequate funds in
our budget next year to assist the SACCOs. We are also actively

encouraging youth, bodaboda and other informal groups to form

SACCOs, with subscriptions to major countywide SACCOs of similar
interest. In that regard, I am happy to report that SACCOs have been
formed for bodaboda operators for all sub counties and my government
will, before the end of March, give a total of 200motor cycles to the
SACCOs.
The motor cycles will be distributed equally to the bodaboda SACCOs
and lead to the immediate creation of 200 new direct jobs for youth. We
are also encouraging women to organise themselves into cooperatives
and SACCOs sothat some form of support can be sought for them. It is
our hope that in the next Financial Year, adequate funds will be set aside
to benefit such organised women groups.
Mr. Speaker, we have lately increased our efforts to attract investors into
the County. As an agricultural economy, we realize the importance of
value-addition industries for our people, which will directly lead to
better prices for our products. We have, therefore been in discussions
with various investors interested in doing business with us and have
received encouraging responses in the energy sector for example, in
which investors are interested in harnessing wind and solar energy;
hydro power; safe mining; potato and tobacco processing, coffee and
maize milling; beef, dairy and fish processing among others. We believe
that this interest will translate into tangible investments that could help
improve the lives of our people. However, Mr Speaker, to promote our
own investment, our local SACCOs, if well nurtured and supported, can
become vehicles of developing investment by raising money to invest in
these interests.
Mr. Speaker, I have previously stated my governments commitment to
improving the quality of life in Migori through provision of safe and
clean drinking water. We started this programme last year with the
rehabilitation and construction of several boreholes and water pans
across the county and supply of water harvesting tanks to several public
institutions.

My government will also start spring protection measures throughout the

county to protect our water sources and provide clean drinking water.
Our major goal is to bring clean and safe drinking water near the
mwananchi. In that respect, this FY, we have set aside funds for
distribution of water in Migori, Rongo, Awendo and Isebaniatowns to
benefit as many people as possible and to increase our revenues, which
will also help in ensuring sustainability of the water projects. Mr.
Speaker, if we enhance our water harvesting techniques, we can provide
other income-generating activities like irrigation, aquaculture,livestock
keeping and therefore ensure food self-sufficiency and improve incomes.
On sad note Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to report to the
House that the lack of clean and safe drinking water has caused an
incidence of a waterborne disease, suspected to be cholera that
wasreported in our Rongo medical facility.
Last weekend, we lost some lives as a result of the outbreak of cholera,
and some people are admitted to hospital. Although the situation is now
under control, it is a matter that my government is not taking lightly. I
therefore call upon leaders to join me to sensitise wananchi on basic
hygiene and other healthy practices.
On infrastructure Mr. Speaker, a reliable transport network is crucial to
the economic development of any society. We are aware that although
most of the roads have not been devolved to the counties, we must
nevertheless try to improve our local networks as negotiations continue
for more functions to be rightfully devolved.
It is in pursuit of this spirit that my government, in the last Financial
Year, opened up over 400km of unclassified roads in all wards at a cost
of Ksh200 million. We also started construction of a bitumen road
section at the County Headquarters, which is nearing completion.In the
current Financial Year, Mr Speaker, we are in the process of constructing
nine foot bridges in various wards and will commence construction of
two bypasses to decongest Migori town.

In our efforts to improve economic activities along the lake and the
county at large, we are conducting pre-feasibility studies on lake
transport in Lake Victoria; opening 40 new roads and gravelling of roads
in all wards; and constructingbridges andbox culverts in various wards.
We are also working closely with the national government to have more
roads built even as we work on the faster completion of the KehanchaMigori-Muhuru-Sori and Ogwedhi-Awendo-Oria bitumen roads.
My Executive will also soon forward to this House, policies that will
facilitate Public Private Partnerships in the construction of roads and
soon roll out the construction of bodaboda sheds in major towns and
trading centres of the county.
Mr Speaker, my government is working with the national government to
ensure that our airstrips at Kendege in Kehancha and Lichota in Migori
are expanded. I am also putting on notice all those people who have
encroached on road reserves to move out as the government will soon
move to open up roads these areas and any removals will be at the cost
of the culprits.
Mr. Speaker, the health of anation is measured by the health of her
people. We therefore,have to continually strive to improve delivery of
health services to our people in order to grow economically as it is only
a healthy people who will participate more effectively in economic
activity.
As a government, we aim at ensuring that all our people can access
quality and affordable healthcare in all parts of the county. We are
therefore, constructing new, or renovating our older, health facilities. It
is in pursuit of this that in the last FY, we renovated 20 health centres
and 124 dispensaries across the county; completed the construction of a
facility for our new Migori Medical Training College at the County
Hospital; completed construction of a general ward at Ururi sub county
hospital; completed construction of a waiting bay at the County hospital;
completed construction of a general ward and ablution block at Kegonga
hospital; started construction of paediatric ward at the county hospital;

started construction of a mortuary at Kehancha sub county Hospital;

andare constructingoperation theatre at Rongo.
Other ongoing projects include; an operation theatre at Awendo; general
ward and ablution block at Karungu; male surgical ward at the county
hospital; Nyatike Sub-county hospital offices; general ward and ablution
block at Ntimaru; Rapogi dispensary; Obama dispensary in Central
Sakwa; drug stores in Suna East; Nyamilu dispensary in Suna West;
Otati dispensary in Kanyasa; Got Kachola dispensary inWasweta II;
Omullodispenary in Central Kanyamkago; Kokuro dispensary in Central
Sakwa; Kamsaki dispensary in South Kanyamkago; staff quarters
atNdegeOriedo dispensary in East Kamagambo; Midoti dispensary
inSuna East; Bonde dispensary in Awendo; Nyametembe in Kuria
West;Iraha in Kuria East;Nyaroha inKuria East and Gosebe- Kuria in
East.
Mr. Speaker, my Government will continue with those development
efforts during the current FY and in fidelity to the approved estimates,
will renovate all general wards in our County Referral Hospital. This
will also be partly fulfillment of a resolution by the Senate that each
County should have a Level 5 Referral Hospital.
I am happy to report that we shall soon receive medical equipment from
Kenya Relief Organisation worth over Ksh30million, which will be
distributed equitably across the county. Mr. Speaker, this further
strengthens our resolve to pursue friendly policies that facilitate PPPs to
support our development.
Mr. Speaker, you are aware we inherited dilapidated infrastructure in
some of our facilities, like the Kehancha Hospital. We have set aside
funds for the renovation of such facilities including repair of leaking
roofs and fencing them to improve the security of patients, staff and the
facilities. We also inherited other built dispensaries that were constructed
under various CDF programmes. These will be staffed and supplied with
medicines by the end of March 2015.

Our investment in medical training will also continue and more funds
have been allocated for the completion of the Migori MTC, whose third
class since inception is due to report in March 2015. I invite this
Honourable House to sensitise wananchi to ask more children to apply
for training at this facility.
Mr. Speaker, my Health Department will also improve maternal child
health through the construction of a maternal child health clinic at the
county hospital. It is also a Millennium Development Goal to reduce
both the infant mortality and maternal death rates by this development.
Other developments in the Health department will include; a hospital
kitchen at Nyatike Sub county Hospital; construction and equipment of a
referral laboratory, dental and Ear Nose and Throat Unit at the County
Referral Hospital; complete a stalled theatre at Isebania; and build a
chapel for the County Referral Hospital mortuary.
Mr. Speaker, encroachment on public land by individual investors has
been happening across the County. Some of the land reserved for public
infrastructure development has been grabbed by individuals. My
government is committed to stopping any further grabbing of public land
and towards this goal, fully supports the recently appointed Migori
County Land Management Board, which we hope will resolve
outstanding land cases and ensure public land is protected from
grabbers.
My Department of Lands has been improving county development by
availing land to some serious institutions that have asked the
government for the same. We have, therefore, provided land for
development of a forestry research institute at Lichota and an industrial
park in the same area. The department is also preparing a County Spatial
Plan, which will guide all developments in the county when
implemented.

Mr. Speaker, environmental conservation is a major priority of my

government and last year, we gave out free tree seedlings throughout the
county in a homegrown reforestation programme.
This was courtesy of my late CECM for Environment and Disaster
Preparedness, Dr.Atinga. By the time of his demise, Dr. Atinga had
supervised the implementation of a youth-driven reforestation
programme throughout the county and was in the process of
implementing the second phase when he passed on. In memory of Dr.
Atinga, (Rest in Peace) and as a show of our continued commitment,
the programme of tree planting will continue when the rainy season
starts, when more free seedlings will be provided by my government
directly and through partnerships with organizations keen on
environmental conservation.
My government is also planning to enhance our disaster response and
preparedness by purchasing a fire engine to be based in Migori town. We
shall also improve garbage collection and management by purchasing a
specially-built garbage collection truck and land for a dumping site, and
provide bins and skips for all urban centers in the county.
Mr. Speaker, I recognize that agriculture is the mainstay of our countys
economy and we must invest in it to be able to grow it not just for
economic benefit but to also assure our people of food security and
employment.
I am deeply aware of the challenges our farmers face and will make
every effort possible to address these challenges. Some of the challenges
include expensive farm inputs and equipment, exploitation by
middlemen and lack of markets for our produce. To address this Mr.
Speaker, my government has put in place measures to provide farm
inputs like certified seeds, fertilizers and provided tractors that can
benefit youth and women groups who have consolidated their farms. My
government will also provide tissue culture bananas in a Ksh20 million
programme to enhance food security.

Mr. Speaker, we expect to boost our efforts in food production and

efficiency in the agricultural sector. We have purchased tractors and their
attachments, which services will be made available to farmers at an
affordable cost. Other measures to improve food production and security
will include provision of seeds for traditional high value crops; purchase
of green houses for select farmers and groups; establishment of coffee
nurseries in Rongo, Kuria East and Kuria West; promotion of
horticulture materials supplied in the county; establishment of fruit tree
nurseries; micro irrigation; fish pond development; promotion of honey
production; poultry improvement; dairy goats and dairy cow
multiplication; one cow per sugarcane farm concept.
Mr. Speaker, to take control of our livestock and improve earnings, my
government will construct slaughter houses and become involved in
seeking investors and market livestock and livestock products.
My government will make efforts to improve the breeds reared in the
County and ensure farmers can acquire them to improve milk and beef
yield. My department of Livestock recently acquired artificial
insemination equipment that will be used by field officers to serve
farmers. We shall constantly and effectively continue to monitor diseases
like Foot and Mouth Disease, Anthrax, Blackquarter, and East Coast
Fever by continually vaccinating our livestock to control the spread of
the diseases.
Mr. Speaker, my government strives to provide leadership and policy
direction in resource mobilization and management for quality public
service delivery. This is in keeping with the legal requirement that
citizens must be involved formulation of policy and development
projects. It is, therefore, providing a framework for the creation of
institutions, systems and mechanisms for human resource utilization and
development in a manner that best enhances service delivery by the
County Public Service and its institutions.
Over the last one year, the public service has ensured payment of
personnel salaries and other allowances in time, which has ensured staff

are not demotivated by late payment. There is also enhanced

management, coordination and supervision through the newly
established devolved units.
It has undertaken special programmes such as Conflict Resolution
Activities and Peace Building Initiatives successfully. To ensure the
public gets access to services, my government has built several ward and
sub county administrators offices and has developed a basic ICT
infrastructure, which will ensure timely communication and efficient
delivery of services. However, more needs to be done to build on our
service delivery capacities and improve on some areas like protocol.
In all these efforts, Mr. Speaker, there must be an efficient and effective
financial management system in place. The realization of development
goals, staff satisfaction and service delivery all depend on whether a
financial system is working or not.
Mr. Speaker, my government has taken note of all these factors and has
been working to ensure there is in place an efficient finance department
that complies with all rules and regulations. This department has in the
past FY prepared a competent Finance Bill, whichwas passed into an Act
of the Assembly and guides our revenue collection. The department has
also completed a County Integrated Development Planwhich we expect
will be used in guiding development over this term.
To enhance revenue collection, my government will automate collection
of revenue, which will take into account functions devolved by law to
the counties.
I have also instructed the Finance department to put in place measures to
control resources such as cutting down the recurrent budget so as to
increase allocation to development programmes.
With these measures in place, and the programmes that have been started
by my government, I am confident that Migori is on course to become a
county of choice; that our people will develop to the best of their ability

and that challenges like disease, poverty and ignorance, have finally met
their match in the policies and activities started by my government to
tackle them.
Mr. Speaker, it has been,and still is, a pleasure working with the
Honourable Members of this legislative Assembly and I expect that
while there will be criticism, we shall continue to share ideas that will
help to move Migori forward.
We cannot, as a County seeking development and improvement in the
lives of her people, afford to engage in negative politics and incitement;
we must appreciate the ethnic diversity of Migori to use it as strength;
and understand that while competition is healthy, we must allow the
weak and few to be part of the relay race. Let us therefore all join hands
to build our County by bringing our diversity to the table and use our
distinctions to our advantage.
May God bless you all. May God bless Migori.
Thank you Mr. Speaker
H.E. HON. ZACHARY OKOTH OBADO
MIGORI
GOVERNOR
COUNTY OF MIGORI