KIRAITU’S NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF MERU

8^TH JANUARY 2019

I WANT TO MAKE MERU A SIGHT AND WONDER TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF MERU COUNTY. A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.

I am starting this New Year with a lot of hope and excitement. I am in very high spirits. I thank the Almighty God for giving me this wonderful opportunity to work for the people of Meru and to do great things for our County.

Last Sunday, Bishop Kiogora Magambo gave a very powerful sermon here in Meru Town. He said "signs and wonders" will happen this year. He said this is the year we shall do great things. He said this year will be a game changer in our lives.

He said this is the year of the handshake; we should forget old things and do new things. He said we should not dwell on the past, because the past has passed. We should look at the future with hope and excitement.

This is the year for us to shake hands, even with those who don’t like us. This is the year to crush the evil spirit of hatred and revenge and to work together to move Meru forward. This is the year to fly high above lies, propaganda and pettiness of the past.

For me, this is the year for us to do great things, for all the men, women and children of Meru. This is the year to take concrete steps to Make Meru Great. This is the year we shall do great things. This year we shall unveil Meru Vision 2040, an all-inclusive holistic long term vision for the strategic development for Meru County for the next two decades.

This year, we shall launch MERU CARE, a universal healthcare program which will transform our health services, promote preventive health and provide affordable health services to all the people of Meru; including the poor and the vulnerable. This year, we shall start the program of participatory governance, modernization, greening and beautification of all our towns and markets.

This year, we shall commission more boreholes and water projects in all Wards. This year, we shall expand the Meru Youth Service to empower our youth and to give more economic opportunities to our rural youth. This year I want to promote the politics of handshake in Meru. I shall work for peace and reconciliation among the people of Meru. I will devote my time and energy preaching the gospel of hard work, making Meru rich and prosperous. I want to make Meru "a sign and a wonder".

I want us to be humble and to listen to one another; and to avoid politics of violence and confrontation. I shall continue working very closely with the National Government, all our Members of Parliament, all our MCAs, religious leaders, Njuri Ncheke, women, youth and other leaders so that together, we can Make Meru Great.

This year, I will commission many rural ward projects under our Kshs. 20 Million, WARD DEVELOPMENT FUND, to promote our grassroots development and socio-economic transformation.

This year, we shall start the process of constructing a Five-Star Hotel in Meru National Park, promote the Mt. Kenya Tourism Circuit, and promote conference and cultural tourism in Meru.

This year, I shall work closely with the National Government Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and other officials to realize President Uhuru Kenyatta’s BIG FOUR AGENDA in Meru; and to increase the flow of National resources to Meru County.

I will support the National dialogue being undertaken by the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) seeking a sustainable solution to our perennial cycles of election-related violence, political instability, ethnic tensions and strife.

I was the Chairman of the Jubilee National Coordinating Committee which merged 13 political parties to create the Jubilee Party. We made many efforts and sacrifices to achieve our dream of creating a formidable political party which would unite all Kenyans irrespective of their tribes, region or religion; and which would be our platform for promoting peace progress and prosperity in a united Kenya. It is sad to see all these efforts, sacrifices and dreams go up in smoke. Jubilee is threatened by selfish politics of intrigues, parochialism and tribalism. The Party has been cut-off from the people and it is no longer operating as a democratic entity.

Time has come for us to come together and reason again. We have to return Jubilee to its original dream; so that it can be a powerful instrument for addressing the emerging challenges and demands of our political environment.

MIMI SITAKI FITINA NA MTU YEYOTE. PLEASE GIVE ME TIME AND SPACE, TO IMPLEMENT MY VISION OF MAKING MERU GREAT.

As President Abraham Lincoln said on 4^th March 1865, "With malice towards none, with charity for all… Let us all strive to finish the work we are in."

HAPPY NEW YEAR. GOD BLESS MERU. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.