The county government of Nakuru has inaugurated the Belbur Water Project in Salgaa constructed at Sh15.3 million. Governor Lee Kinyanjui launched the project and it is part of the county’s plans to improve infrastructure, promote access to education, clean water and sanitation and offer psychosocial support to families.
The water project done jointly by the County Government, Nakuru Rural Water and Sanitation Services Company and World Vision, a nonprofit organisation will provide water to 550 homesteads in the area.
“It is one of the breadbaskets of the cosmopolitan county because it experiences good rainfall across the year. We want to promote agricultural activities in the region so that the youth will have incomes and get too busy to venture into vices associated with this vibrant trading centre,” said Mr Kinyanjui.
Agricultural zone
Governor Kinyanjui observed that Salgaa within Rongai Sub-County is a rich agricultural zone and his administration was actively engaging locals to grow crops that thrive in the region such as avocados, french beans, garden peas, maize, beans, vegetables and several other food crops.
The county has partnered with World Vision Kenya, to economically empower communities at Salgaa as a way of addressing social ills that plague the popular long distance truckers’ stopover along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
The collaboration aims at ending prostitution, child neglect, violence and substance abuse, vices that are entrenched at the busy trading centre just over 30 kilometers East of Nakuru Town. The governor added that his administration has been working with other agencies in both the National and County governments and the private sector to facilitate potential investors willing to set shop at Salgaa through the establishment of a One-Stop Desk where they are issued with all the required documentation.
It has also set aside initial Sh20 million for the Salgaa rescue kitty adding that the long term objective of the initiative was to protect children from effects of social vices they have been exposed to at the busy transport and business hub.
“In partnering with the private sector and other development partners we will sensitize all parties and give alternative livelihood solutions to avert girls and women from engaging in prostitution. I urge security agencies to ensure all children of school going age attend classes,” said Arcbishop Sapit who attended the launch ceremony.
