Friday, August 30, 2013

ON THE H.E GOVERNOR DR. EVANS KIDERO’S VISIT TO CHINA

August 30, 2013 at 9:46am

Dr. Evans Kidero’s pragmatic governance saw him acquire Sh87 billion for county projects on his recent trip to China, where he chose to accompany the president. Though eyebrows have been raised pertaining his budding friendship with President Uhuru Kenyatta, the governor has dismissed claims that he has turned his back on the Coalition for Restoration of Democracy (CORD) clarifying that his meetings with the president should not be viewed as a political move but as a way of providing services to the residents of Nairobi.
“My association with the president is based on law as enshrined in the constitution of Kenya. I am mandated by law to meet the President to discuss how to share costs of the national and county governments,” Dr Kidero said. Arguing that it was within his constitutional rights to meet the President, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Mr. Anyang Nyong’o came to his defense saying that as the Governor of Nairobi, Mr. Kidero is free to work closely with the president.
“I am a life member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) that is a partner in Cord. But at the same time, I am the governor of Nairobi,” He added, “Those saying anything to the contrary do not see the need to steer this nation to prosperity. We need to work together to realize our dreams.”
Dr. Evans Kidero used the visit to China to meet the President and the Executive Chairman of the China Investment Bank, which agreed to provide funds that, will help in developing Nairobi. He said that the money is to be used to fund infrastructure and urban regeneration of the densely inhabited Eastlands, where a number of old county houses lie at the moment. Some of the money will be used to upgrade the city’s transit system and construction of the nine transport corridor which is a total transportation system that will help open up traffic in the city.
“Some of the funds will be used to streamline the transit urban system and build the nine transport corridors to open up traffic in the city.” Kidero said, He added, “The bank is more than willing to invest in Nairobi County and its Chairman Hu Huai Bang will soon be visiting us to fine tune the loose ends of the deal, which will transform the county into a major transit hub using all means of transport, from road, rail, rapid transit buses and planes.”
The corridors are located along Outering Ring road from the General Service Unit headquarters to Taj Mall in Embakasi, Kangundo road to Juja road up to Haile Selassie and All saints to Ngong road will benefit. Others are; Langata, Argwings Kodhek, Riverside Drive, James Gichuru, Jogoo road, ABC place, Githogoro, Limuru, Dagoretti, Karen, Bomas and the All Saints and Adams Arcade.“Upperhill, Ngong road, Kileleshwa, Riverside, James Gichuru link and Ngong road through DC’s office to Kibera and Kenya Wildlife Services will benefit,” Dr. Kidero said.
The funding is an addition to the Sh1.4 billion given by the World Bank, African Development Bank, the Japanese Government, Kenya Urban Roads Authority, and Kenya National Highways Authority to fund Nairobi’s development of road and rail transport system. This is to add to the Sh2 billion Kidero’s government had set aside for road maintenance.
Dr. Evans Kidero said that some Chinese investors have also proposed to fund the second phase of the Digital Traffic and Security Control, where cameras will be installed in 253 major junctions across the city from Mowlem area and in Embakasi West to Karen.
“We also got commitments for the health care sector where statistics show there are 7.6 million hospital visits per year in Nairobi while my government has 83 hospitals, clinics and dispensaries. This will be upgraded to digital imaging systems,” he said. Dr. Kidero also invited Foton Daimler Company to put up an assembly plant to produce double cabin pick-ups. “This will be a major boost and will develop our country’s transport infrastructure and address youth unemployment in our county,” the governor said.
According to the Counties newspaper Nairobi County is also to benefit from the money secured by President Kenyatta. The four hundred and twenty five billion shillings includes economic partnerships, wildlife protection, and the standard gauge railway linking the port Mombasa through Nairobi to Malaba. Some of that will be used for energy-related projects, agribusinesses, irrigation, fertilizer production and purchases, and technology. China is keen to see Kenya host a clearinghouse for the Chinese currency in Nairobi, greatly boosting the Kenyan capital’s credentials as a leading financial hub.

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