MPs Itwiku Mbai (Masinga), Vincent Musyoka (Mwala), John Munuve ((Mwingi North) and over 40 MCAs and other opinion leaders from Ukambani attended the rally.
Mutua said back in 1978 or so, countries such as South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and other tiger economies were poorer or at par with Kenya.
“These nations had their experts trooping to Kenya to learn about development. Today these countries, by implementing some of our policy papers and ideas, are so developed that they are giving us money,” said Mutua.
He said they were now basically developed countries manufacturing TVs, vehicles and even aircrafts, and yet we remain number 79 in the poor index by the World Bank according to the United Nations Human Development Report.
“Surely, all is not well,” said Mutua.
Mutua said it was a shame that 50 years after our country’s independence, our mothers, sisters and daughters are still carrying water using jerrycans on their backs like donkeys .
“It is a shame and unacceptable in this day and age, “said Mutua.
He said it was also revolting for people in some parts of the country to carry bodies of their deceased friends and relatives of on their backs due to the poor state of roads.
Mutua said due to poor policies, many educated youths were still jobless and wallowing in misery and frustration
“The main difference between us and the tiger economies is that we are very good at theory and writing policy papers and talking too much, but weak in implementation,” said Mutua.
He said having worked in retired President Mwai Kibaki’s government for nearly 10 years and now running a county government, he is seeing how President Uhuru Kenyatta is being short changed in his policy implementation by a poor culture among some of his officers.
Mutua said that while a nation we shelved our policy papers and strategies, the tiger economies implemented theirs with speed and efficiency.
“Kenyans have many ideas which are gathering dust in shelves yet we are languishing in poverty,” said Mutua.
He said in the past two years, he has managed to implement key development projects in Machakos.
The projects include the 33 kilometre long Makutano Ma Mwala road which was build a record three months .
Mutua said roads were being rehabilitated across all parts of b the county , towns and markets.
He revealed that this year beginning January, 18 roads across the county will be tarmacked.
Mutua said CCTV cameras have been installed across the county with patrol vehicles also being purchased thus bringing crime down.
He said hospitals and health centres in the county have been equipped with drugs and adequate personnel.
“As a result of the 80 ambulances we have bought, Machakos County has a similar emergency response time as developed western nations. If you call for an ambulance at any time in Machakos County, it should get to you in less than 10 minutes – because each life matters,” said Mutua.
On agriculture , the governor said 40 tractors bought by his government have helped plough over 80,000 acres of land for farmers free, adding that he was committed to end the culture of dependency on food relief.
“You cannot proclaim you are free if every dry season you are given food relief from overseas,” said Mutua.
He said in Machakos, eight drilling rigs, numerous graders, excavators and bull dozers have been used to dig 205 boreholes and 166 dams.
He said each homestead will have clean piped water with each school in the county having been supplied with a 10,000 litre water tank.
Mutua said his government has begun the building of the new Machakos City that will feature factories, hospitals, hotels and many other businesses that will employ our youth and has already signed memorandums of Understandings with investors for the new city worth Sh1.8 trillion.
The governor said the tragedy in Kenya today is that we are obsessed with negative and backwards politics that have rendered us poor.
He said development was an issue of justice and constitutional rights but we are too busy playing politics and witch hunting at the expense of our people.
“In Kenya, for example, we have one president. Our current president is Uhuru Kenyatta, whether we like it or not. Uhuru is facing challenges similar to my small ones in Machakos -corruption, lethargy, poor workmanship, excuses, name it,” said Mutua.
He said that however, in Kenya, you would think the elections are next week from the rhetoric we hear and see every day.
“Everyone across the political divide appears to be insulting each other. This surely, is not good for our people,” said Mutua.
He said voters need to keep a score card of their leaders adding many of those making the most noise had nothing to show in terms of development.
“You know, these are some of the people who get sick when they hear of what I have achieved with Maendeleo Chap Chap,” said Mutua.
He revealed some of the leaders opposed to his leadership were organising demonstration s against him in major towns in the county adding their schemes will fail.
He thanked President Kenyatta for recently appointing one of Kenya’s best health brains Dr Cleophas Mailu as the Cabinet Secretary for Health and other appointments from the region in his government.
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