A new team of professionals has been appointed to lead the Elgeyo Marakwet county budget and economic forum.
Governor Wisley Rotich said his focus is on revamping the economy in the county that has been partly ravaged by banditry.
He said he wants to improve the livelihoods of residents by helping them create wealth through income generating activities.
Among those he had named in the team include former Kenya Wildlife Service CEO Julius Kipng’etich and Prof Nick Wanjohi, who is a former aide to former President Mwai Kibaki (now deceased).
Others are Dr Phillomena Tanui to represent women, Prof Paul Kimurto, Dr Anderson Kipkoech and Dr Ronald Kipchumba.
Magdaline Cherotich from the civil society, Dr Susan Koech, businessman Timothy Kipchumba and Dr Alex Kibet are also in the team.
“I have appointed them to be members of our county budget and economic forum for five years and I have full confidence in them,” Rotich said.
As per the law, the main purpose of the county budget and economic forum is to provide a means of consultation by the county government on the preparation of county plans and the County Fiscal Strategy Paper. Others are Budget Review and Outlook Paper for the county, matters relating to budgeting, the economy and financial management at the county level.
Elgeyo Marakwet is one of the counties that receive the lowest amount of funding from the Treasury annually, but Governor Rotich said he has gone out of his way to leverage on support from donors and partners to help him implement major economic projects.
The UK government and Select Fresh Produce Kenya Ltd announced a plan to spend more than Sh2.4 billion to construct a 60,000-tonne processing factory for Irish and sweet potatoes in Elgeyo Marakwet county.
The factory is expected to create more than 5,000 jobs.
The project will process 30,000 tonnes of Irish potatoes and 30,000 tonnes of sweet potatoes into fresh and frozen fries in the first year of operation, with production increasing to 50,000 tonnes each in five years.
Rotich also graced the groundbreaking ceremony of the Sh50 million Iten town new West Market.
According to the design, the storey market will have a parking space to accommodate at least 60 vehicles at a time.
The market will have the capacity to accommodate at least 600 business operators.
"Every hustler doing business will be accommodated in this market," Rotich said.
