(CapitalFM – Kenya)

President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned the Kshs 42 billion (USD 400 million) Isiolo-Moyale road which connects Kenya to Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa, last Wednesday (July 26).

The Isiolo-Moyale highway is a key plank of the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia (LAPSSET) Corridor Project.

The road project was implemented in three phases: 121 Km Merille River-Marsabit, 121 Km Marsabit-Turbi and 121 Km Turbi-Moyale.

Addressing residents in Moyale town, President Kenyatta said the commissioning of the new road and the Isiolo International Airport last Sunday will promote cross-border trade and lift the lives of Kenyans.

“There will no longer be challenges of traveling and even accessing markets for our goods and services. With this road and the Isiolo international airport, Kenyans are sure of improving their economy,” said President Kenyatta.

He added: “As you have heard, it used to take three days to travel from here to Isiolo and Nairobi, now it takes only hours.”

The President, who was accompanied by Deputy President William Ruto, said the Jubilee Administration also implementing the Lamu port project which will be completed by next year.

He said once complete the Government will launch the construction of Lamu-Garissa-Isiolo road which will open up the second transport corridor in Kenya.

“With the opening up of this road, Moyale will become a market centre for Kenyan goods and services. Our brothers from Ethiopia will be coming here to purchase goods from us,” said President Kenyatta.

“Once all these projects are complete, Moyale residents will not be waking up saying they are going to Kenya. Rather they will enjoy all services like other Kenyan citizens,” he added.

Coupled with the planned resort city of Isiolo as well as the Isiolo International Airport, the Isiolo-Moyale road will significantly boost security and tourism in Northern Kenya.

The new road is also set to open up Northern tourism belt to increase the tourism activities in Mt. Kenya, Samburu, Meru, Aberdares and Marsabit National Parks as well as the wildlife conservancies within the region.

President Kenyatta said the reason he is seeking a second term, is so that Jubilee can entrench the transformational development trend the country has embarked on over the last four-and-a-half years.

He urged Kenyans to vote for Jubilee to prevent the opposition from derailing the foundation for economic growth and shared prosperity that his Administration has laid in the last four-and-a-half years.

“We have expanded electricity connections more than ten times what was there previously. We have offered free maternity services to all mothers delivering in public hospitals and next year we will expand NHIF services to provide health insurance cover for mother and child for one year to ensure robust health,” said President Kenyatta.

He called on the residents to come out in large numbers on August 8 and vote for him and his team.

“We are kindly requesting for your votes. On August 8, please come out and vote peaceful. I don’t want people to fight because of elections,” said the President.

The President said his Government will also offer free day secondary school education from form one to form four to ensure quality education for all Kenyan children.

He thanked the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other donors for financing the Isiolo-Moyale road project.

Deputy President Ruto said the Jubilee Administration has ensured equitable development across the country through various projects aimed at improving the livelihoods of all Kenyans.

“The journey which used to take three days has now been reduced to eight hours. In 2013 there were only 800 households connected to electricity in Marsabit County, now we have expanded it to 10,000 homes,” said the Deputy President.

He urged Moyale residents to reject the opposition, which has nothing to offer in terms of development, and instead vote for Jubilee whose development delivery track record speaks for itself.

Other speakers included the gubernatorial candidates for Marsabit County Mohamed Mohamud Ali (Jubilee) and Ukur Yattani (Frontier Alliance Party).

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