Editor's Review

Ruto issued the directive during the launch of the second Kenya Urban Support Programme at State House Nairobi.

President William Ruto has directed the Ministry of Lands and the Ministry of Treasury to develop a framework that will incorporate cities in the urban development programme.

Speaking on Tuesday, May 7 during the launch of the second Kenya Urban Support Programme at State House, President Ruto said the two ministries should work with other partners on developing the framework that will assist the management of Kenyan Cities and urban areas.

“I have asked the Ministry of Lands Urban and the Ministry of Treasury to sit together and develop a frame that will give us the resources, working with other partners to assist us manage the big cities and urban areas so that Sakaja doesn’t have to complain that they are left out of this program,” said President Ruto.

The Head of State’s directive came after Governor Sakaja asked the national government to come up with a new programme to support cities.

The Nairobi Governor pointed out that people living in informal settlements in Nairobi and other cities suffer a lot and need to be helped.

“Those in informal settlement suffer much more, as we always say Nairobi is a hard place to stay if you don’t have resources you will have nowhere to stay, you will have nothing to eat, and there is no community. We really want to ask that you support and come up with a new programme for the cities,” Sakaja stated.

File image of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.

At the same time, President Ruto vowed to make sure Kenyans are out of informal settlements.

The President highlighted that 60 per cent of people living in urban areas are from informal settlements adding that climate change would continue to pose challenges to their lives.

"Climate change will continue to pose mounting challenges to our development and serious threats to human health and safety, especially in urban areas where 60 per cent of residents live in informal settlements," Ruto said.