KIRINYAGA, Kenya — Kirinyaga County Governor Anne Waiguru has significantly expanded her administration’s efforts to combat climate change and foster sustainable development by distributing an additional 5,800 free Meko gas cookers to families, facilitating their transition from traditional firewood and charcoal use.
This initiative is part of a broader, people-centred approach that includes a wide-ranging package of community support, notably water tanks and pipes, fish pond liners, and waste management equipment.
Speaking at an event attended by thousands of residents at Kamiigua Grounds in Kutus on Thursday, Governor Waiguru emphasized that the support is a key component of her ongoing campaign to promote environmental conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods within the county through the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) Program.
She highlighted that Kirinyaga County is not merely reacting to climate change but is actively empowering its populace with practical and lasting solutions.
“Climate change continues to pose serious challenges to our communities, but we are taking bold steps to empower our people to enhance adaptation and promote sustainable growth,” Governor Waiguru stated.
Regarding the Meko gas cookers, she explained that they would promote the use of clean energy, curb ongoing deforestation, and enhance living conditions by reducing indoor pollution.
This latest distribution follows a previous rollout of 600 free gas cylinders to families bordering Mt. Kenya last year.
“By shifting to clean cooking, we are effectively saving over 500 mature trees per year and saving our women and children from prolonged exposure to smoke that poses health problems,” the Governor noted.
She further revealed plans to establish a clean cooking program at Kibingoti Polytechnic, where women’s groups will receive training in making energy-saving jikos and water tanks.
In critical strides towards improving water security, the governor handed over 10,000-liter water tanks to 20 community groups, enabling them to harvest rainwater for establishing kitchen gardens, thus improving food security and promoting health.
Addressing waste management challenges, 26 garbage skips and a skip loader truck were handed over to enhance sanitation in markets and trading centers across the county.
The governor also noted that the county is setting up a Material Recovery Facility to aid in waste sorting and recycling, which is expected to create both a cleaner environment and new employment opportunities.
The comprehensive climate action plan will also bolster the Inua Jamii Rupingazi Water Project, which aims to provide clean water to 500 households in Njukiini and Murinduko. Additionally, the Rukenya Irrigation Water Project received pipes to reduce farmers’ overdependence on rain-fed agriculture.
To further boost climate-smart agriculture, the county distributed dam liners to 60 farmers for fish farming and irrigation, alongside a fish feed production machine to enable local production of affordable, quality feeds.
In support of agroforestry, Waiguru announced that her administration will distribute macadamia and avocado seedlings to 20,000 farmers during the upcoming rainy season, aiming to restore the environment while simultaneously boosting farmer incomes.
Beyond environmental and agricultural initiatives, the event also saw the governor issue tents and chairs to 17 community self-help groups, while one group received a Public Address System to facilitate their economic and social activities.
Kirima Dairy Cooperative Society, boasting a membership of 6,400, received a boost with various chemicals and testing equipment to safeguard the quality of their milk before marketing.
Also Read: Uganda secures $6.7m grant to rescue endangered shea trees and empower women
Governor Waiguru provided an overview of other transformative projects her administration is undertaking, including upgrading health facilities, cabro-paving major market centers, and supporting farmers in production, value addition, and marketing, specifically mentioning the upcoming Sagana Industrial City as a vital component in the agro-industrial value chain.
Kirinyaga County Speaker Murimi Mutemi and several Members of County Assembly (MCAs) who attended the event lauded Governor Waiguru for her transformative agenda, which they asserted was focused on uplifting the living standards of county residents.
They pledged continued strong working relationship between the assembly and the executive to ensure seamless service delivery, with Kabare Ward MCA Dr. Isaac Mbogo stating that Governor Waiguru has indeed lived up to her election pledges of empowering the residents to better their lives.
