By Leon Mutwiri.
Meru Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia has taken a swipe at his political rival Mithika Linturi, accusing him of failing to deliver meaningful development projects during his tenure as Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture.
Speaking today at the County headquarters during the distribution of milk cans, cheques
awards to SACCOs, medical supplies, farm inputs and a tractor to various groups, governor Mutuma highlighted the projects undertaken during his one-year tenure after he took over the leadership mantle.
He contrasted his achievements with Linturi’s performance who had served more than two years in national government and over show a ministry with a budget exceeding KSh70 billion.
The county boss challenged his rival to focus on presenting a vision for Meru residents rather than repeatedly citing past projects.
“I urge my brother to stop speaking about boreholes. It is almost an obvious thing and a shame,” Mutuma said, adding that such projects should ordinarily be handled at the ward level.
The governor further pointed to major projects being undertaken under his administration, including the expansion of Meru General Hospital and the development of Gakoromone Market, both valued at more than KSh1 billion.
“Do I keep repeating stories of how I have completed road projects costing KSh2 million?” he posed.
He urguing advised leaders overseeing billion-shilling developments to focus on transformative projects instead of dwelling on petty issues.
Mutuma also criticized former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza, accusing her of exploiting the vulnerability of residents living in impoverished areas for political gain.
“Look at where Kawira Mwangaza goes. It is like she does a survey targeting people from humble background before later exploiting their vulnerability,” he claimed.
The governor said his administration is focused on improving the livelihoods of Meru residents in order to reduce such vulnerabilities.
He said the equipments distributed to farmers including milk cans and a tractor represents a significant investment aimed at improving agricultural productivity.
Mutuma contrasted the initiative with previous programs that distributed items such as gumboots.
“If we were to buy gumboots for farmers, the cost of one milk can would buy 200 gumboots,” he said.
He insisted that his administration’s projects are designed to create lasting economic impact meant to alleviate poverty across the county.
Edited by John Majau
