Residents of Burguret village in Gakawa ward, Kieni East are celebrating following the commissioning of a new borehole by the County Government of Nyeri.
During the commissioning ceremony, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga highlighted that the borehole would significantly improve life for locals who previously had to travel far to fetch water for household use and livestock.
Governor Kahiga explained that the new borehole, capable of producing 8,000 litres of water per hour, will supply surrounding villages with sufficient water for daily needs and agricultural irrigation.
According to Kahiga, the borehole serves over 500 households in Burguret village, providing water for both irrigation and domestic purposes. The infrastructure includes a 3 km pipeline, two 10,000-litre overhead tanks, solar panels, and a borehole pump. The project addresses water scarcity in this semi-arid region, enhancing both water and food security for residents.
With a capacity of approximately 8,000 litres per hour, the borehole was installed through the Department of Water, Irrigation, Environment and Climate Change.
Kieni is recognized as one of the most arid regions in Nyeri County, characterized by unpredictable rainfall during the two rainy seasons.
To protect residents from frequent dry spells typical of the area, authorities had planned the construction of two major water reservoirs: the Karemenu and Naromoru dams.
The dams were intended to support irrigation across 5,200 hectares of land while also supplying water for household consumption.
The Karemenu Dam was projected to store 4 million cubic metres of water and irrigate approximately 1,000 hectares, while the Naromoru Dam was designed to hold 10.5 million cubic metres, capable of irrigating around 2,900 hectares of farmland.
Both projects were estimated at Sh 13 billion, including piping infrastructure. However, construction of the dams had not yet commenced.
Separately, 250 youths from five informal sectors in Nyeri are set to participate in a 45-day social and emotional skills development training under the Second Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Support Programme (KISIP II).
The training will include 50 participants selected from each informal sector as part of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme.
Selection criteria focused on 50 beneficiaries per settlement, giving priority to current or former KISIP II Labour-Intensive Public Works (LIPW) workers aged 18-35, local residents, and those able to complete the full training period.
Additional consideration was given to individuals with low economic status, those affected by substance abuse, people with disabilities, and those with limited formal education.
Successful candidates come from Kiamwathi and Chorong’i in Ruring’u Ward, Kiawara in Rware Ward, Mweiga in Mweiga Ward, and Ihwagi in Iria-ini Ward.
The training falls under the NYOTA programme, a five-year government initiative supported by World Bank funding.
The programme incorporates Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) through the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), allowing participants with practical skills but limited formal education to receive nationally recognized certification.
The county government will connect trainees with various government agencies, including the National Employment Authority (NEA) for digital job opportunities, the State Department for Labour (SDL) for market information, and the Micro and Small Enterprise Authority (MSEA) to help create employment.
At the NYOTA startup capital forum launch in Kabiruini grounds on January 12, Kahiga promised to support participants with business training and capacity building to prepare them for entrepreneurship.
Governor Kahiga announced several interventions, including a one-year waiver on trade licenses to help new businesses establish themselves successfully.
Our county will first provide spaces for these youth to operate their businesses, followed by a one-year waiver on business licenses to enable them to get started quickly, stated Dr. Kahiga during the event attended by President Dr. William Ruto.
A total of 6,000 young people from Nyeri, Nyandarua, Kirinyaga, and Murang’a counties each received Sh.25,000 through the NYOTA Business Support component.
President Ruto described the programme as a transformative solution to youth unemployment in Kenya, providing alternative pathways to financial independence.
He emphasized that a nation’s progress is measured by its ability to empower citizens toward self-sufficiency, maintaining that Kenya can only achieve greatness by harnessing its human capital.
Kenya must leverage its human capital to join the ranks of developed nations. Our greatest national asset is our people, which outweighs gold or currency. The only resource we truly possess is our population, and we must invest in them, the President stated.
The President noted that the NYOTA programme represents one of several comprehensive approaches the government is taking to address youth challenges, complementing initiatives like the Affordable Housing Program, Hustler Fund, Digital Superhighway, and Creative Economy.
Dr. Ruto announced that the government aims to reach 820,000 young people through the NYOTA programme, encouraging them to seize this opportunity to build a strong economic foundation for their future.
Furthermore, the President revealed plans to enroll 110,000 young Kenyans without formal education in vocational courses to help them establish their own businesses.