President William Ruto has promised Northeastern residents that the Garissa immigration office will be re-opened in two weeks time.
Addressing residents in Garissa town, the President said he will be back in two months for its official opening. He spoke after presiding over a graduation ceremony at Garissa University.
Ruto's remarks come as a relief to Garissa residents who have had to seek passport services in Nairobi, after the office was closed four years ago.
This has proved to be costly and inconveniencing for residents, especially Muslim faithful seeking to go to Mecca for pilgrimage.
In March, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki hinted that space had already been secured at the Garissa law courts for the new office, and the President would launch it.
Kindiki spoke during the commissioning of Shanta Abak sub-county in Lagdera.
Reacting to the news, Supkem branch chair Abdullahi Salat said the reopening was long overdue.
“This is the kind of news that each and everyone has been waiting for. You can't imagine how expensive it has been to people seeking to get passports. We have elderly and sick people who have had to seek for the services in Nairobi,” Salat said.
The President also spoke on employment, saying he had negotiated 500,000 jobs across the world for Kenyans.
Kenya will be signing 19 labour agreements with nations including Germany, to help young people find jobs in different countries in the world.
To address the challenge of lack of job opportunities, Ruto said his administration had already started the affordable housing project with 800 units.
“I will again be back to start another 4,000 affordable housing units. So my advice to the young people is if you are mason, plumber, engineer, electrician, mason or carpenter, get yourself ready because there will be plenty of jobs for you.”
He added that his administration was determined to transform the economy and called on Kenyans to support him.
“I want to promise you we are going to change this country. We are determined to make whatever decisions that will unlock the potential of our great country,” Ruto said.
The President said they will tighten the noose on anyone found engaging in corruption, saying it was unacceptable for the country to work hard and collect taxes, only to be diverted by a few corrupt state officers.
He has held discussion with local leaders on several developmental projects including water and power, Ruto added, which they would address going forward.
Defense CS Aden Duale, who had accompanied the President, took issue with the KPLC for frequent power outages experienced in the town. He called on the utility to correct the situation.
"This town is in the national grid and it produces 50 megawatts of solar, but unfortunately residents are experiencing constant power blackouts. I will speak to my colleague the CS Energy Davis Chirchir and the KPLC manager on the same,"Duale said.