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Ruto wants local investors given priority in counties

RUTO-KANDIENAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 10 – Deputy President William Ruto wants local investors given priority in development projects in the counties.

Ruto noted that devolution requires that local people should be at the forefront in creating priorities by harnessing potentials that exist in their respective counties for accelerated development.

“Local investors should be given the first priority in development projects. The second priority should go to people in our region and the third will be for foreign investors who need more persuasion,” Ruto said during the Nandi County Investment Conference and Exhibition held in Kapsabet town.

He says it was not right to have foreign investors investing up to a tune of Sh20 billion in development projects in the country while locals are left out.

“Local investors are well placed to engage on development because they have solid information about the county. They have information at their fingerprints,” Ruto said.

There was need to demystify the investor theories, he says, that projects were only for foreigners instead of locals, that investments were only for people who speak English instead of those who also speak other languages.

Meanwhile, the Deputy President said it is encouraging that there were many potential investors from the Nandi County who were ready and prepared to take the county and the country at large to the next level on matters of development.

“Local investors are well placed to engage on development because they have solid information about the county. They have information at their fingerprints,” he said.

He said they hybrid of local and foreign investments could provide an opportunity for them to learn from each other on issues of development.

Ruto said the government was committed to creating an enabling investor environment including reduction of power as well as improvement of infrastructure.

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“We do not want to ensure the reduced cost of energy but also to ensure its reliability. I want to assure Kenyans that the Government is committed to cheaper power to expand investments and create more job opportunities,” Ruto said.

Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat said his county is ready to allow local investors would engage in various development projects in the county at a cost of Sh3.97billion.

He said the projects to be undertaken by both local and foreign investors would address the problem of unemployment in the area.

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