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Boniface Ongeri and Ibrahim Mohammed
President Kibaki landed in North Eastern Province for the third time in his term and upped his campaign with a conciliatory message for Muslims.
The President directed that a Muslim cleric deported recently over terrorism claims be allowed back for "negotiations with the Government".
"The Government is not out to oppress anyone who wants to propagate religion. Let the cleric come back and we will negotiate," he said.
In his speech, he sought to dispel fears that his regime was oppressive to Muslims.
He was reacting to demands by Muslim leaders who had expressed concern that the Government was oppressing Muslims over terrorist allegations.
In Garissa, the President commissioned the construction of the first 20km of the more than 1,200 km Garissa-Wajir-Mandera Road.
The road is constructed with grants from Saudi Arabia.
Accompanying the President were Cabinet ministers Mr John Michuki, Mr Mohamud Abdi, Mr Morris Dzoro, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere and Mr John Munyes.
The Head of State also commissioned the Garissa Urban Water Supply before officially opening the North Eastern Province ASK Show.
He asked residents to take farming seriously, saying the Government would invest Sh4.2 billion on livestock and agricultural extension services.
As conditions for re-electing Kibaki, the leaders raised concerns over the closure of the Somalia border since last December.
They said this had denied residents business opportunities.
The President is today expected to officially open the Wajir Airport.
He said 390 boreholes had been sunk in the province at a cost of Sh350 million in the last three years.
While opening the show, Kibaki said though the province was often associated with aridity, it had enormous potential for commercial livestock production and agro-processing.
This could be possible through substantial irrigation along the Tana and Daua Rivers for food crops, Kibaki said.
President Kibaki landed in North Eastern Province for the third time in his term and upped his campaign with a conciliatory message for Muslims.
The President directed that a Muslim cleric deported recently over terrorism claims be allowed back for "negotiations with the Government".
"The Government is not out to oppress anyone who wants to propagate religion. Let the cleric come back and we will negotiate," he said.
In his speech, he sought to dispel fears that his regime was oppressive to Muslims.
He was reacting to demands by Muslim leaders who had expressed concern that the Government was oppressing Muslims over terrorist allegations.
In Garissa, the President commissioned the construction of the first 20km of the more than 1,200 km Garissa-Wajir-Mandera Road.
The road is constructed with grants from Saudi Arabia.
Accompanying the President were Cabinet ministers Mr John Michuki, Mr Mohamud Abdi, Mr Morris Dzoro, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere and Mr John Munyes.
The Head of State also commissioned the Garissa Urban Water Supply before officially opening the North Eastern Province ASK Show.
He asked residents to take farming seriously, saying the Government would invest Sh4.2 billion on livestock and agricultural extension services.
As conditions for re-electing Kibaki, the leaders raised concerns over the closure of the Somalia border since last December.
They said this had denied residents business opportunities.
The President is today expected to officially open the Wajir Airport.
He said 390 boreholes had been sunk in the province at a cost of Sh350 million in the last three years.
While opening the show, Kibaki said though the province was often associated with aridity, it had enormous potential for commercial livestock production and agro-processing.
This could be possible through substantial irrigation along the Tana and Daua Rivers for food crops, Kibaki said.
Published on September 7, 2007, 12:00 am
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