President William Ruto has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to accelerating development across Mt Kenya counties, emphasizing that frequent engagement with elected leaders is crucial for driving progress under his Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
In a statement released on Thursday, President Ruto highlighted the importance of continuous consultations with political leaders, stating that they provide the best platform for identifying and implementing transformative projects that directly benefit the people.
“Constant consultation with elected leaders provides the best platform for deliberation on and consequently implementing transformative development programmes that benefit the citizens of our country,” Ruto stated.
The high-level meeting, held at State House, Nairobi, brought together Members of Parliament from the Mt Kenya region, with Deputy President Kithure Kindiki also in attendance. Discussions centered around enhancing agricultural productivity, improving infrastructure, and expanding affordable housing projects in the region.
“We reviewed progress in coffee, tea, and dairy farming, infrastructure, affordable housing, and fresh produce markets,” read part of the statement.
Mt Kenya, which includes Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, and Meru counties, is a key economic powerhouse in Kenya.
The region heavily relies on tea, coffee, and dairy farming, which are among the country’s top foreign exchange earners. However, over the years, farmers have struggled with low earnings due to fluctuating global prices, high production costs, and inefficiencies in the value chain.
To address these challenges, President Ruto’s BETA initiative, launched in 2022, prioritizes agricultural sector reforms, rural infrastructure development, affordable housing, and agribusiness expansion. These measures are expected to boost farmer earnings, improve market access, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth at the grassroots level.
With Mt Kenya remaining a crucial voting bloc, President Ruto’s renewed focus on the region reflects both economic and political considerations. Local leaders have been vocal about the need for urgent government intervention to revive struggling coffee and tea sectors, enhance road networks, and create more opportunities for smallholder farmers.
