Agriculture, Health and Education Dominate Uasin Gishu’s New Development Blueprint
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii Chelilim has unveiled an ambitious development agenda aimed at transforming the county’s economic and social landscape, with agriculture, health, and education identified as top priorities. Speaking shortly after assuming office, the governor pledged to inject fresh energy into service delivery, strengthen accountability, and deliver on the promises outlined in his administration’s manifesto. He emphasized that the county’s cosmopolitan nature requires an inclusive approach that brings all communities together, saying his administration will prioritise peace, unity and public participation in all development processes.
In outlining his vision, Governor Bii highlighted agriculture as the county’s backbone, noting that Uasin Gishu—often regarded as Kenya’s food basket—must reclaim its leadership in agricultural production. His plan includes expanding market research, mechanization, subsidised farm inputs and value addition to help farmers increase their earnings. He also pledged to strengthen farmers’ cooperatives, promote fish farming, beekeeping, and livestock production, and introduce mobile artificial insemination services while establishing a permanent county AI centre. On healthcare, Bii promised to modernize and digitize health facilities, hire qualified medical personnel and equip hospitals with critical services such as dialysis, cancer diagnosis and palliative care. He further announced partnerships with the national government, medical training institutions and faith-based organizations to promote preventive care and improve access to insurance under NHIF and subsidy programmes for the elderly and people with disabilities.
Education also features prominently in the new administration’s priorities, with plans to construct more Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centres, improve teacher recruitment and expand bursary support for vulnerable learners. Local leaders, including Woman Representative Gladys Shollei and Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, welcomed the governor’s development framework and pledged to support inclusive growth through transparent governance and citizen engagement. Governor Bii expressed confidence that Uasin Gishu’s rich economic potential—ranging from agriculture to enterprise development—will be fully unlocked under his leadership. He assured residents that his administration will work diligently to deliver sustainable growth and uplift livelihoods across all sectors, marking what he described as the beginning of a new chapter for the county.