Ann Waiguru ranked Kenya's Top Governor as Kirinyaga's projects stand out

For county governments, development projects often speak louder than political rhetoric.

That appears to have worked in Ann Waiguru's favour.

A new Politrack Africa assessment of county leadership has placed the Kirinyaga governor at the top of the national rankings with a 61.5% composite score, alongside the highest public satisfaction score of 68%, reflecting strong public approval of her administration's development agenda.

Top-ranked governor

According to the assessment, Waiguru's performance was driven by investments across sectors that directly affect residents' daily lives.

Rather than focusing on a single flagship project, the report credits progress in agriculture, healthcare, water access and service delivery.

Agriculture

One of the biggest projects highlighted is the Sagana Agro-Industrial Park, a Sh500 million investment developed under the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) programme.

The facility processes tomatoes, mangoes and dairy products, while the report says it has created about 2,000 jobs.

The survey also points to the county's rollout of an e-voucher programme that has enabled more than 10,000 farmers to access subsidised seeds and fertiliser through a digital system designed to improve efficiency and transparency.

Investment in healthcare

Healthcare also featured prominently in the Politrack Africa ranking.

The report cites the expansion of Kianyaga Level 4 Hospital, including a new 50-bed renal unit and a modern maternity wing.

It also highlights upgrades at Kimbimbi Level 4 Hospital, where a 40-bed surgical block and modern diagnostic equipment have expanded healthcare capacity.

Water and irrigation projects

Access to water formed another pillar of Kirinyaga's performance.

The county completed the Kimbimbi Water Project, bringing clean water to approximately 8,000 households in Mwea East and Kirinyaga Central.

The assessment also credits the administration with installing 30 solar-powered boreholes in water-scarce areas, reducing the average time residents spend fetching water.

In agriculture, expansion of the Mwea Irrigation Scheme added 500 acres under rice and horticultural production, further strengthening one of Kenya's most productive farming regions.

Highest public satisfaction

Beyond infrastructure, the report notes that Waiguru recorded the highest public satisfaction score among all governors surveyed.

The combination of visible infrastructure projects and improvements in essential public services appears to have contributed to her overall ranking.

As counties continue competing to improve service delivery, the latest assessment places Kirinyaga at the top of the list, with investments in agriculture, healthcare and water emerging as the defining factors behind Ann Waiguru's performance.