President William Ruto has announced that the government is implementing several key programmes aimed at enhancing the status of Nairobi City, with a focus on environmental restoration, infrastructure, housing, healthcare, and sanitation.

He disclosed that KSh500 million will be allocated in the next financial year to address illegal power connections in Nairobi’s informal settlements.

The poorly installed connections have been associated with fire incidents that have destroyed homes in these areas, resulting in the loss of property and lives.

“I have requested Parliament’s Budget and Appropriations Committee to set aside KSh500 to correct illegal electricity connections that occasionally result in Nairobi,” he said.

He made these remarks on Sunday while expressing condolences to the victims of a recent fire in Kibera, which claimed three lives.

The President donated food and household items to the affected residents and assured them that the government would cover the medical bills of those injured.

Earlier, President Ruto attended a church service at the Africa Inland Church in Kibera, accompanied by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.

The President also announced that the government would donate a piece of land for the Nairobi County Government to build a fire station in Kibera.

He emphasized that his administration is committed to improving living conditions in the capital, noting that the current state of the city is untenable.

Through the Affordable Housing Programme, he reported that 60,000 housing units are currently under construction in Nairobi County, with 25,000 of these located in Kibra and Lang’ata constituencies.

“Our Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda is coming true as people at the bottom of the economic pyramid are now moving in to their own houses in decent estates,” he said.

Last week, the President handed over keys to 1,080 new homeowners at the New Mukuru Housing Estate, with over 13,200 additional houses currently under construction in Mukuru.

Furthermore, he announced that the National Government has allocated KSh2.1 billion to improve city roads.

Regarding education, President Ruto mentioned that the government is upgrading school facilities in Nairobi, including the construction of thousands of new classrooms.

“I am personally sponsoring the construction of 240 classrooms in Nairobi County because I believe all children deserve to learn in decent conditions,” he stated.

The President also noted that an additional 24,000 teachers will be employed in the next financial year, building on the 76,000 teachers hired in the past two years.

On the topic of environmental conservation, he shared that the Nairobi River Basin Regeneration programme, which currently employs 20,000 young people to clean the city’s three rivers, will soon be expanded to provide jobs for more than 50,000 individuals.

He urged Kenyans to register for the Social Health Authority, asserting that access to quality healthcare is no longer a privilege for the wealthy but a constitutional right for all citizens.

“Lifting those who are downso that we achieve equity is not an injustice to those who are up,” he remarked

President Ruto reaffirmed his commitment to championing national unity, adding that a broad-based government will accelerate national development.

Also present were Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, MPs, MCAs, and other leaders.