MP commissions Sh8 million driving school training program

By Peter Ochieng

Kisumu Central Member of Parliament (MP) Dr. Joshua Odongo Oron on Friday commissioned the second tranche of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) driving school program.

The program was initiated in 2023, with some of the 400 beneficiaries landing employment opportunities in various sectors, after training.

Speaking during the launch at the NG-CDF offices in Tom Mboya estate, the first term MP said the aim is to train about 2,000 drivers, by the time his first term comes to an end in 2027.

“This is an annual event, and we have been training 400 young people who are willing to acquire driving skills to equip them for various job opportunities,” said Oron.

The program, the legislature said, is implemented through collaboration with three driving schools dotted across the constituency, for the purposes of equity. “We target both men and women willing to take up driving as a profession,” he added.

During shortlisting, the MP said they consider the Ward one is coming from, so as to spread the opportunities across the entire constituency. Additionally, they check out for the sector one is coming from, which include boda boda, tuk tuk and juakali among others.

“We have those already in juakali, they know how to drive but they don’t have driving licences. We are taking them back to class so that they can be equipped to enable them to acquire driving licences,” stated Oron.

Away from the driving program, the MP said plans are at an advanced stage to put up another girls’ school in the constituency. Kisumu Constituency is currently home to two girls’ schools - Kisumu Girls’ and St. Teresa Girls Kibuye.

Groundbreaking for the new school to be put up at a cost of Sh70 million, the MP said, will be done in the next two to three months. “We are hoping that by the time we finish with the classrooms, administration block, laboratory, library, multipurpose hall and other facilities, we will be looking at a total of Sh70 million in a span of 3 years.”

“This project has already been tendered, the process for awarding is going on and we hope that in the next 2 to 3 months we will be breaking ground for the 1st phase which is about Sh12 million,” he added.

In addition, the MP said the Sh20 million Juakali hospital is another project they intend to ground break in the next three months.