President William Ruto has begun a five-day development tour of the Coast region, with state house outlining a packed itinerary covering land reforms, infrastructure, electricity, markets, education, housing and the blue economy.
The tour will take the president across several Coast counties, where he is expected to commission completed government projects, inspect ongoing works and launch new ones.
The visit comes as the government seeks to deepen its development footprint in the region, with a strong focus on long-standing land concerns, access to electricity, road connectivity and economic infrastructure.
A major highlight of the tour will be the launch of an accelerated title deed issuance programme in Mombasa, targeting residents across all the six counties in the Coast region.
The programme is expected to address the historical land question that has remained one of the region’s most persistent political and economic issues.
“The President will launch an accelerated issuance of title deeds in Mombasa for all the six counties of the region in efforts to tackle the long-standing land question at the Coast,” State House said in a brief on the tour.
The president will also turn attention to the blue economy, with engagements planned in Lamu and Kilifi. In Lamu East constituency, he is expected to commission the completed Kizingitini Fish Market, a facility intended to support fishing communities and improve fish trade infrastructure.
In Malindi town, he will hand over fishing boats to various groups, a move expected to strengthen livelihoods among local fishing communities.
Energy access will also feature prominently during the tour. President Ruto is scheduled to launch last-mile electricity projects in Kinango, Lunga Lunga and Diani in Msambweni, Kwale county. Similar projects will be launched at Mjanaheri in Magarini, Malindi town, Ganze and Mariakani in Kaloleni, Kilifi county, as well as at Hindi in Lamu West constituency.
In Kilifi, he will commission the completed Mariakani power sub-station in Kaloleni constituency, a project expected to support power reliability and improve electricity distribution in the area.
The market infrastructure programme will also form a key part of the Coast tour. In Kwale county, the president will commission the completed Diani modern market in Msambweni. He will also inspect the Hindi Modern Market in Lamu West and lay foundation stones for new modern markets in Kinango, Lunga Lunga, Mkuluni in Ganze and Makupa in Nyali constituency, Mombasa.
The projects are part of the government’s wider plan to provide traders with improved, organized and safer working spaces.
On roads, the President will break ground for the construction of the A7 Junction Safirisi-Ndeu road in Lamu West and the Tezo-Kakanjuni road in Kilifi North.
Education infrastructure will also be on the president’s agenda. In Tana River county, he will lay the foundation stone for the construction of Garsen Teachers Training College. In Kwale, he will break ground for the construction of student hostels at Lunga Lunga Technical and Vocational College. He will also lay the foundation stone for student hostels at Pwani University in Kilifi North constituency.
The affordable housing programme will also receive attention during the tour. President Ruto will inspect ongoing construction works at the Nyali VoK affordable housing project in Mombasa and later break ground for the Minjila Affordable Housing Project in Garsen, Tana River county.
In Kilifi town, the president is also expected to lay the foundation stone for the construction of Kilifi Stadium, adding sports infrastructure to the list of planned development interventions during the visit.
State house said the tour will be marked by the handover of completed projects, inspection of ongoing works and launch of new initiatives aimed at supporting economic growth and improving service delivery across the Coast region.
“The president’s itinerary will be marked by the handover of completed projects, inspection of ongoing ones and launch of others,” the brief stated.
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