President William Ruto has stepped up his development pitch in Samburu, promising to expand infrastructure and ensure the county’s natural resources generate more jobs and businesses for local communities.
Speaking during a thanksgiving ceremony for Devolution Principal Secretary Michael Lenasalon in South Horr, Samburu North Constituency, Ruto said his administration was pursuing a development model intended to ensure no region or community is left behind.
The President said the government was investing Sh4.8 billion in roads in Samburu, alongside projects targeting electricity, water and education.
“In Samburu County, we are investing Sh4.8 billion to develop and improve roads, opening up the county to trade, investment and opportunity,” Ruto said.
He said the projects were part of his administration’s broader effort to promote equity in the distribution of development resources.
“Our goal is equity and equality in Kenya’s development so that every region and every community has access to the infrastructure, services and opportunities needed to prosper,” he said.
Ruto’s remarks come as the political class increasingly turns its attention to the 2027 General Election, with development record and regional inclusion expected to feature prominently in campaigns.
The President has repeatedly defended his administration’s development agenda, arguing that major investments in roads, electricity, water and other infrastructure will open up previously underserved parts of the country.
In Samburu, he highlighted roads as a key component of the government’s strategy to connect communities to markets and investment.
He also pointed to education as a tool for reducing inequalities, saying children should have similar opportunities regardless of where they are born.
“We are expanding electricity connectivity and access to clean water and investing in education as the great equaliser, giving every child, regardless of where they are born, a fair chance to succeed,” Ruto said.
The President also used the visit to make a policy pledge on Kenya’s minerals and other natural resources.
He said the government would make it policy for minerals extracted in the country to be processed and value-added locally rather than exported in raw form.
“We will also make it Government policy that Kenya’s minerals and natural resources are processed and value-added locally,” he said.
According to Ruto, the policy would create employment and business opportunities while ensuring communities and the wider Kenyan population benefit from the country’s natural wealth.
His focus on minerals is particularly significant for counties such as Samburu, which have untapped natural resources and have often complained that local communities do not receive sufficient economic benefits from resources found in their areas.
Ruto said value addition would allow Kenya to capture more economic value from its resources and create opportunities for both investors and local enterprises.
The President framed the approach as part of his wider promise to make development more inclusive.
“No part of Kenya will be left behind,” he said.
The Samburu visit also gave Ruto an opportunity to strengthen his relationship with leaders and residents in the county as he prepares for the next phase of his presidency.
The President’s development message has increasingly focused on regions that have historically lagged behind in infrastructure and access to basic services.
His administration has also sought to link infrastructure development with economic activity, arguing that better roads, electricity and water will make it easier for businesses to operate and farmers and traders to reach markets.
Ruto said the government would continue pursuing partnerships with investors while ensuring that Kenyans benefit directly from the country’s resources.issue.
