Prime Minister Raila Odinga has reaffirmed that the government's commitment to expanding the economy to create more job opportunities in the country.

Speaking at Kapsowar at the conclusion of a two day inspection tour of development projects of Mt. Elgon and Marakwet districts Saturday, the PM discouraged Kenyans against putting undue pressure on civil service employment.

Raila pointed out that the civil service could only employ 250,000 people at any one time noting it was therefore imprudent to expect all the unemployed people in the country to be absorbed in the service.

He criticized leaders who attempted to build political careers out of the unemployment problem and other perceived shortcomings in the country saying they should instead explain the economic realities to people.

"Kenyans should not be fixated with appointments to high positions in the public service for members of their communities, because such appointments when made are meant to benefit the country and not individual communities." He said.

Once again, Raila said the coalition was working to deliver to the people despite the differences in the party manifestos of coalition partners.

On the economy, he stated that appropriate measures had been put in place as stimulus to ease the suffering of the wananchi and cited the Kazi kwa vijana programme as one such stimulus.

Saying shs. 9 billion had been budgeted for the Kazi kwa vijana programme this financial year, Raila warned that the government would not tolerate anyone frustrating the programme.

On development in Marakwet district he announced that the Iten-Kapsowar and Kapsowar-Cheserek roads would be tarmacked to ease communication and spur economic activities in the greater Marakwet district.

The Prime Minister earlier toured the A.I.C. Kapsowar mission hospital and said it would be expanded and its facilities improved upon to cater for the rising population in the area.

Cabinet Minister Henry Kosgey, assistant minister Linah Kilimo and the MP for Marakwet West Boaz Kaino also spoke at the rally.


PMPS
Sun, 19th July 2009