President Ruto chairs First cabinet meeting in Nyanza region

 His Excellency, the President of Kenya, chaired a cabinet meeting at the State Lodge in Kisumu, marking the Administration’s third meeting outside the capital and the first in the Nyanza Region. The decision to hold cabinet meetings as part of the Presidential Working Tours across the country is aimed at assessing the impact of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

The National Assembly approved the write-off of loans and tax arrears amounting to Ksh. 117 billion owed by public sugar mills. Cabinet also endorsed a plan to support public millers in paying farmer and salary arrears through a 90-day payment plan. The Cabinet approved the implementation of the Gogo Hydropower Redevelopment Project in Migori County, seeking to boost power generation capacity from 2 MW to 8.6 MW.

The government plans to establish the capacity for the production of human vaccines at the Kenya BioVax Institute and strengthen various healthcare institutions, focusing on quality control, public health, and human resources capacity. To bolster local manufacturing, the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) will give preference to locally manufactured pharmaceutical products over imports, aligning with the “Buy Kenya Build Kenya” initiative. An inter-ministerial committee will negotiate a Pandemic Treaty with the World Health Organization (WHO), addressing vaccine equity and advocating for strengthening global health regulations and supplies architecture.

A project to enhance the reliability of power supply in Nyanza and Western Kenya regions was approved, addressing challenges posed by an aging power plant. The Cabinet approved a policy that requires housing developments to include provisions for liquefied petroleum gas reticulation infrastructure to promote the use of safe and affordable LPG.

Cabinet approved the implementation of the Kenya Health Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Resilience Project, supported by the World Bank, to strengthen the national health system. The Cabinet approved the establishment of the Kenya Transport Accident Investigation Bureau (KTAIB) to investigate transport-related accidents and make safety recommendations. Kenya is set to co-host the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2027, alongside Uganda and Tanzania. Several construction and renovation projects are underway to prepare for these major sporting events, including AFCON 2027.

These significant decisions highlight the government’s commitment to improving various sectors, from agriculture to healthcare, infrastructure, and sports development. The historic cabinet meeting in Kisumu signifies a new approach to governance, focusing on direct engagement with the regions to ensure the success of the BETA agenda.