The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Related Articles
President William Ruto has kicked off a new phase of development at Turkana University after laying the foundation stone for what will be the institution’s largest student hostels in Turkana County.
In a post shared on his official Facebook account on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, the President said the project forms part of a broader national agenda aimed at lifting at least 10 million Kenyans out of poverty and narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor.
Click here to join our WhatsApp Channel
Ruto explained that the initiative aligns with the establishment of the National Infrastructure Fund and the Sovereign Wealth Fund, which he said will support long-term economic transformation.
“We have embarked on an ambitious national mission to lift 10 million Kenyans out of poverty. Through the National Infrastructure Fund and the Sovereign Wealth Fund, we will close the gap between the rich and the poor and lay a strong foundation for Kenya’s transition to a first-world economy,” the President said.
He noted that the Turkana University hostels will cost Sh660 million and are part of a wider Sh2.5 billion programme to build student accommodation in the county. Once completed, the hostels are expected to accommodate up to 6,000 students, boosting access to higher education in the region.
In addition to the university project, Ruto also launched the upgrading of streets in Lodwar town to bitumen standards.
The President’s development announcements came during his visit to Turkana County, where he officially opened the Tobong’u Lore cultural festival on the same day.
The annual festival—whose name means “welcoming back home” in the Turkana language—has grown into one of Kenya’s major cultural events, attracting participants from across the country and the wider East African region.
It brings together elders, youth, artists, pastoralists and leaders to celebrate indigenous knowledge, traditional livelihoods and cultural diversity.
The event features traditional music, dances, storytelling and cuisine, alongside exhibitions, policy discussions and cultural exchanges linking tradition with modern development.
Local leaders welcomed Ruto’s visit, saying it underscored Turkana’s rising prominence nationally. Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai said the festival goes beyond culture, serving as a platform to tell Turkana’s story while promoting unity, development and economic opportunities.
