Ruto meets Embu leaders, pledges to enhance muguka returns

The government will enhance the growing and selling of muguka to benefit farmers in Embu County, President William Ruto has announced.

The President pointed out that muguka is a scheduled crop under the Kenyan law and therefore enjoys legal and State protection

"Our intention is to add value to muguka so that we can produce juices and satchets from," he said at State House, Nairobi, on Friday.

He made the remarks during a consultative meeting with leaders from Embu County led by Governor Cecily Mbarire.

President Ruto said he will intervene to stem falling milk prices in sections of Mount Kenya and ensure that the prices remain at Sh50 a litre.

He commended Embu leaders for marshalling residents to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA), and pointed out that registration stands at 49 per cent of the county's population, the seventh highest in the country.

"It is your responsibility as leaders to ensure that more are registered. We don't want anyone to sell property to pay medical bills anymore," he said.

On affordable housing, President Ruto said the first 100 units built in Embu town are ready for occupation.

He announced that advertising and procurement for another 400 units was underway.

The President also announced that the government would build an additional three modern fresh produce markets in addition to the nine that are currently under construction across the county.

On electricity, he pointed out that the government would spend Sh1 billion to connect more than 11,000 households to power in the county.

On a separate issue, President Ruto denied media reports that public money is being used to build a church at State House, Nairobi.

"I did not start a church at State House; instead I found one already built though it was a tin structure.  What I have done is to prepare to build a modern chapel, but with my own money," he said.

President Ruto will attend a  service at the Anglican Church of Kenya in Embu this Sunday.

Also present at the meeting were Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku (Public Service and Special Programmes), MPs, MCAs, religious leaders, and other senior officials from the county.