WE WILL COMPLETE ELECTRIFICATION OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY JAN 2016

All the public schools that are yet to be connected to electricity through the government's drive hinged on the ambitious plan of giving free laptops to pupils will be connected before the opening of school in January next year. This was said by the Deputy President William Ruto when he was presiding over a funds drive for the St Benadictine Catholic Church in Ngoingwa, Thika on Sunday. Kenya Power will also continue expanding its customer base by connecting homes in rural and low-income urban homes where many people still use kerosene-powered lamps for lighting.

He added that they were working around the clock to ensure that all primary schools in the country were electrified in readiness for the Government programme aimed at integrating ICT delivery at the primary level of education by providing all class one children in all primary schools with laptops. The implementation of ICT at the primary level of education is driven towards ensuring that the Kenyan education system produces productive citizens able to compete in the already hi-tech global market.

He called on all local administrators led by the chiefs to ensure that pupils in informal settlements went to school adding that the government had provided enough funds to cater for free primary education as well as scrapping examination fees.

The DP also said that in this fiscal year, 3,000Km made up of 80% small roads and 20% highways will be built. He added that there were further plans to tarmac 5,000Km of roads in the 2016/2017 financial. Thika Town and Kiambu County would benefit greatly from the programme since majority of the roads within the town would be renovated.

He promised that the government would install milk coolers that would help dairy farmers in Kiambu County in milk processing and marketing.

During the funds drive, Mr. Ruto donated Ksh 1.5m from himself and friends and also presented the president's contribution of Ksh 1m. This was the second time the DP was chief guest in this church's Harambee and assured the faithfuls that he would stand with them till their project to complete the church was realised. He said that upon completion, he would invite the president to open the new church as a sign of appreciation to his contribution.