PWANI HERE WE COME

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has Tuesday assured leaders from the Coast that the government is paying required attention to the development needs of the region.

The PM, who chaired a consultative meeting with all the MPs from the region at his Treasury office said the government recognises that the Coast has some unique development problems that date back to the pre-colonial times.

The meeting, attended by Cabinet Ministers and permanent secretaries from a number of ministries was convened to discuss the issues the leaders want the Prime Minister to address during his tour of the region next month.

Ministers Charity Ngilu (Water), James Orengo (Lands), Amason Kingi (East Africa Community), Mohammed Elmi (Northern Kenya, Arid and Semi Arid Lands), Fred Gumo (Regional Development), Otieno Kajwang (Immigration), Naomi Shabaan (Special Programs) and assistant Minister Harun Mwau (Transport) attended the meeting.

Also present were permanent secretaries from the Ministries of Energy and Forestry and Wildlife.

During the meeting, each of the MPs presented the issues affecting their constituencies, with water, infrastructure, human-wildlife conflict and land emerging as the key issues.

The leaders complained of acute shortage of teachers, growing problem of squatters and land grabbing and acute water shortage across the region.

They lamented about the poor state of roads and over focus on Tourism at the expense of other sectors of the economy.

East African Community Minister Mr Kingi said that while Tourism is confined to a small section of the Coast, the government has taken it as the development issue for the region and ignored other sectors like agriculture.

Addressing the leaders, the PM said his visit to different parts of the country are not for fun but are meant to ensure the government programmes are being implemented on the ground and to help the government listen to the people.

He said the visits also help him ensure that the ministries are working in complementary fashion without duplications.

At the meeting, Ministers took turns to explain what their ministries are doing on the issues raised.

Water Minister Charity Ngilu acknowledged that water is a problem at the Coast but said she is addressing the problem.

The Minister a high capacity water pump arrived from abroad and will be installed to distribute water to large sections of the Coast adding that it will ensure residents do not experience water problems over Easter.

She said investment in water storage has been wanting, with the region relying largely on a water pipe installed in 1952 when Mombasa had a quarter of the population it has today.

She said a new Baricho line is being developed, together with a number of dams to address the water shortage.

There was a light moment when the Minister said she is keen to desilt Tanganyika Dam but worried that it is infested with crocodiles while the PM demanded to know whether the crocodiles fall under the Ministry of Fisheries or Forestry and Wildlife.

Lands Minister James Orengo said the land problem at the Coast requires "special intervention" adding that every constituency at the Coast has a land problem.

"There is a terrible historical injustice to the people of the Coast when it comes to land and it must be addressed," Orengo said.

Mr Kajwang reported that his ministry is opening immigration offices right at the border points unlike the past when the offices were located inland.

He said new offices have been opened in Lunga Lunga, Taveta, Vanga and Kilifi that are frequented by travelers.

The Energy PS said that to address energy problems in the region, the Ministry is installing a new 220 KV power line running from Rabai through Malindi, Garsen and Lamu.