DP blames soaring land prices for flood victims' resettlement delay

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has attributed the rising land prices, driven by traders, to the delayed resettlement of the flood victims from Mai Mahiu.

While assuring that the government is committed to resettling the victims, Kindiki urged patience as the families mark one year since the tragic incident in April last year, which resulted in over 60 deaths.

Since then, the victims have been enduring hardships in rental houses while awaiting the state's promised assistance.

Speaking in Naivasha during an ongoing empowerment program, the Deputy President announced that the government had allocated Sh250 million for the resettlement efforts.

However, he noted that landowners have increased their asking prices since the government began moving forward with the resettlement, which has contributed to the current delays.

“The government has not forgotten the Mai Mahiu flood victims, and we are working to resolve the price dispute so that the affected families can be resettled,” he stated.

During the event, Kindiki emphasized the need for leaders to separate politics from development, as mixing the two harms the ordinary citizen.

He shared that the government has set aside Sh1.7 billion for electricity connections for 16,700 families in Nakuru County in the upcoming fiscal year.

Additionally, he mentioned that the county would benefit from the construction of 17 markets across the country by the national government.

The Deputy President defended the government's development and economic agenda amid criticisms of high taxes and limited visible progress.

“The government has already employed 76,000 teachers and plans to hire another 24,000 by the end of this year,” he said.

He also noted, “The cost of fuel has decreased from Sh217 in 2022 to Sh165 per litre, while the price of coffee has risen to Sh150 per kilogram from Sh50 three years ago.”

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika expressed that the county is prepared for the construction of 2,400 affordable housing units in Naivasha, stating, “These projects will provide job opportunities for our youth, and we urge residents to support them.”

Gilgil MP Martha Wangari called for the expedited construction of the Rironi-Mau Summit Expressway to alleviate the traffic issues along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

This sentiment was echoed by the Leader of the Majority in Parliament, Kimani Ichung’wah, who emphasized that local residents would benefit from job and employment opportunities during the construction of the expressway.