Cost Of Unga, Judges: Ruto's First 100 Days As President
On his way to winning the August 9 elections, the Head of State uttered several promises that he would love to achieve within that time period
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President William Ruto marked his first 100 days at the State House helm on Wednesday, December 21, more than three months since he was sworn in at a packed Kasarani Stadium on Tuesday, September 13.
On his way to winning the August 9 elections, the Head of State uttered several promises that he would love to achieve within that time period, ranging from the cost of living to the appointment of judges his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta snubbed.
Viral Tea picked out some of the promises he made during that period from his Kenya Kwanza manifesto and how he fared:
Appointment of Court of Appeal Judges
President Ruto didn't even take his seat at State House on Tuesday, September 13 when he announced that he would appoint the remaining Court of Appeal judges into office on the spot.
The judges were rejected by immediate former President Uhuru Kenyatta after being nominated by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in 2019. They include judges Aggrey Muchelule, George Odunga, Weldon Korir and Joel Ngugi.
"To further demonstrate my commitment to the independence of the judiciary, this afternoon, I will appoint the six judges already nominated for appointment to the court of appeal which was done three years ago.
"Tomorrow. I shall preside over their swearing-in so that they can get on with the business of serving the people of Kenya," he said during his address on Tuesday, September 13.
True to his word, he did preside over their swearing-in the following day. He signed his first two gazette notices that confirmed the appointment of four Court of Appeal judges and two Environment and Land Court judges.
They include Makori Evans Kiago and Cheruiyot Omange Judith Elizabeth.
Cost of Living
This is one campaign promise that many argue has given him a hard time. During the unveiling of his manifesto, one of President Ruto's issues he had pledged to address was to fix the cost of living, a matter which created doubts across a number of camps, including the Azimio la Umoja coalition.
“The (Unga) prices went up because of the mess created by the former government but I will resolve that in the next year. We’ve started the process by giving farmers 1.4 million bags of subsidized fertilizer," he said on October 25, 2022.
On several occasions during the campaign period, Ruto noted that addressing the high cost of maize flour, a staple food, was a simple affair and promised Kenyans immediate relief after being sworn in. Up to now, the cost of a 2kg of maize flour is over Ksh200 for some brands, forcing his government into a reality check.
“It is a new move to impact the livelihoods of people and it is not going to be instant we have to tighten our belts, it's going to be a difficult time for the next 100 days to 12 months but Kenyans are going to see the fruits of some of the decisions in a year's time,” National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei noted during a past KTN News interview.
"We must preach to Kenyans to be patient. The pain is not going to go away immediately." President Ruto has since looked into reducing the cost of fertilizer as a way of reducing the cost of food in the country.
Hustler Fund
Another eye-popping campaign promise was his ambition to empower small businesses in the country through the rollout of a Ksh50 billion Hustler Fund loan kitty.
The Hustler Fund will involve the setting up of special financing to be actualised through Infrastructure Fund, National Housing Fund, Settlement Fund and Social Welfare, among the major promises President Ruto made during his campaign trails.
President Ruto listed three critical areas of the Fund during his Mashujaa Day speech:
- Credit products will be available to small businesses on digital platforms at affordable rates to individuals and through chamas, groups, saccos and cooperatives.
- All borrowers on this platform will also participate in a short-term savings plan and long-term pensions program. Every saving made by borrowers on this platform will be merged by the government of Kenya on a 2:1 ratio to a level to be determined by the program.
- I will launch this Hustler Fund credit and savings product on the 1st of December this year.
The president's campaign promises sought to bring about a new economic order that would deal squarely with unemployment and lack of opportunities for the youth.
President Ruto specifically vowed to commit billions of shillings to support sectors such as boda boda and small retailers using the Ksh50 billion fund.
The products of the Fund include Personal Finance, Micro Loan, SMEs Loan and Start-Ups Loan. The Personal Finance loan was launched on Wednesday, November 30.
Extra-judicial Killings
One of the matters Ruto strongly accused the previous government of is the rampant extrajudicial killings that were allegedly state-sponsored. Unrelenting, he promised to a team to investigate the cases within the first 30 days.
Just 34 days into office, he ordered the disbanding of the Special Service Unit (SSU) attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), formed on December 31, 2019, after the Flying Squad was disbanded by the former director of DCI, George Kinoti.
Some of the cases that the SSU handled include; armed robberies, kidnappings, motor vehicle theft, sale and distribution of contraband, and substandard goods among others.
Other cases handled by the unit included the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) for intelligence-driven operations alongside other augmenting units including cybercrime, ballistics, scenes of crime, principal crime registrar, Crime Intelligence Unit, Homicide, (DNA, Toxicological, Chemistry and Biology Lab Units).
Several of its former members were further charged in court over their involvement in the disappearance of two Indians.
The two Indians namely; Zaid Sami Kidwai, and Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan are said to have been kidnapped days leading to the August 9 polls. Also abducted alongside them was their driver Nicodemus Mwania.
They were aiding Ruto's campaign team in coming up with various strategies, according to Digital strategist Dennis Itumbi. They arrived in Kenya in April as part of Ruto's ICT team but disappeared in July after being kidnapped outside Ole Sereni Hotel off Mombasa road.
Remuneration of Police Officers
"Within the first 100 days, Kenya Kwanza will commission a review of remuneration and terms of service for all officers in the security sector to be commensurate with the cost of living," Ruto promised in the Kenya Kwanza manifesto.
The pay of police officers has since been repeated severally in his speeches, including his Jamhuri Day speech on Monday, December 12.
"There is now consensus that a new policing paradigm is at hand, and it is possible to achieve a high level of security for our citizens and also observe their rights and freedoms to the greatest extent.
"I, therefore, commend the entire national police service, from the constable on the beat to the Inspector-General, for the enthusiasm with which they have embraced the changes and enhanced our general security through increased vigilance and improved relationships with citizens and their communities. Before the end of the year, I will be appointing a task force to review the terms of the police service," he addressed at the time. On Thursday, December 12, he appointed former Chief Justice David Maraga to chair a 23-member task force to oversee the improvement of reforms for members of the National Police Service (NPS) and Kenya Prisons Service (KPS).
Bringing Back Miguna Miguna
President Ruto may go down in recent history as the Head of State who did what the previous government couldn't do and was responsible for; bringing back lawyer Miguna Miguna from exile.
"The Government of President William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua has lifted the Red Alerts Uhuru Kenyatta and his goons illegally imposed against me with the connivance of Raila Odinga. My Arrival: October 20 at 6 AM. The Rule of Law, fearlessness, persistence and focus have prevailed," he wrote beforehand.
After arriving at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) having been in exile for 1,716 days following his deportation in 2018 to Canada, Miguna attended the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens and later for a luncheon at State House.
Miguna Miguna after landing at JKIA on October 20, 2022. /TWITTER
