NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 27– Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has rallied support for women’s economic empowerment, education, healthcare and increased citizen participation, saying the four pillars are central to the government’s efforts to transform livelihoods and accelerate development.
Addressing women’s groups and residents in Suna East Constituency, Migori County, Omollo praised local women for forming self-help groups and engaging in income-generating activities that are improving household incomes and strengthening communities.
He said empowering women economically translates into stronger families, better educational outcomes for children and more resilient communities.
“Women play a central role in national development, and when they are empowered economically, the entire community benefits,” he said.
Omollo also highlighted the government’s continued investment in education, noting that the sector receives the largest allocation of the national budget.
He said the recruitment of more than 100,000 teachers in less than three years demonstrates the government’s commitment to ensuring every child has access to quality education.
“We do not want any child to miss the opportunity to learn because of a lack of teachers. That is why the Government continues to invest heavily in education to secure the future of our children and our country,” he said.
On healthcare, the Principal Secretary urged residents to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying the programme is helping millions of Kenyans access medical services without suffering financial hardship.
He noted that more than 54 per cent of Migori County residents have already enrolled under SHA and encouraged those yet to register to do so in order to benefit from affordable healthcare.
Omollo also welcomed reforms that have simplified access to national identity cards, saying the removal of administrative barriers has enabled more Kenyans to obtain the crucial document and access government services.
He said the reforms also present an opportunity to increase voter registration, revealing that nearly one million people in the Nyanza region possess national identity cards but are yet to register as voters.
“Barriers that previously made it difficult for our people to access national identity cards have now been removed. As we do this, we also have an opportunity to register voters. In the Nyanza region alone, we have close to one million people who have national identity cards but do not have voter cards,” he said.
Omollo said the government would work with leaders and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure eligible residents register as voters and participate in choosing their leaders.
He also expressed confidence that President William Ruto would secure re-election in the next General Election, saying continued support would allow the Head of State to sustain his development agenda.
The Principal Secretary further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening security and improving service delivery, saying peace and stability remain essential for economic growth and sustainable development.
He urged residents to remain united, embrace government development programmes and work closely with leaders to advance the socio-economic transformation of Migori County and the country.
The engagement brought together local leaders, women’s groups and residents from across Suna East to discuss development priorities, service delivery and opportunities available through government programmes.