1. I have never looked forward to a new year the way I look forward to 2026.

2. I do not say this lightly. I say it from a place of conviction, born of what we have achieved together, the foundations we have laid, and the certainty that those foundations now allow us, finally, to reach for our highest ideals as a nation.

3. This has been a year that tested our resolve and our collective purpose, a year that demanded sacrifice and called for unity. As your President, I am proud to say that together, we rose to the occasion.

4. When I addressed the nation at this time last year, I outlined the decisive measures we had taken in 2023 and 2024 not only to stabilise our economy, but also to begin turning it around. I said then that 2025 would be the year when we would start earning the dividends of the hard work we had undertaken together since 2023. And indeed, looking back, this has been the year in which our deliberate choices, sometimes difficult and often demanding, began to pay off.

5. For the first time in a long while, Kenya is not guessing. We are not drifting. We are not gambling. We have set our targets. We have begun the journey. And we now have a clear roadmap to make 2026 a defining year in Kenya’s history.

6. Tonight, fellow Citizens, this is not just a customary New Year's address. It is a moment that calls on all of us to seize the opportunity before us, to walk together, as one people, and to complete a journey that has been delayed for far too long.

President William Ruto delivering his New Year's address from Eldoret State Lodge in Uasin Gishu County on December 31, 2025. /PCS

7. 2026 will be a watershed year in the story of our Republic. A turning point in our march from promise to prosperity. A year that future generations will look back on and say; that is when Kenya changed course.

8. We can speak of this moment with confidence because we are not starting from nothing. We are building on a solid foundation already laid.

9. Step by step, we confronted difficulties, carved out opportunities, and laid a strong and formidable base for the future of our country.

10. But the story of 2025 is not merely about numbers or statistics. It is about people, the hustlers; the mama mbogas, the boda boda riders, the farmers, the traders, the entrepreneurs, and the workers, whose toil, patience, and sacrifice have begun to yield tangible results. It is the story of ordinary citizens whose lives have quietly changed in very extraordinary ways.

11. Kenyans like Mama Jerusha Muthoni, whose dream of owning a decent home finally came true. For years, her family lived in a single crowded room, exposed to rain and cold, indignity and fear, never knowing what tomorrow might bring. In 2025, that chapter ended. She moved into a modern, affordable home with clean water, electricity, a proper toilet, and cooking gas. For the first time, her children have space to study. Dignity replaced survival.

12. The foundations we have laid have also enabled millions to access quality health services under our universal healthcare programme. Today, more than 29 million Kenyans are registered under the Social Health Authority. Across the country, stories of care, relief, dignity, and support are being told, quietly and powerfully, by ordinary citizens whose lives have been transformed.

13. Stories like that of Naomi Mutendwa Kilunda, a single mother of six, who watched her 17-year-old daughter, Lydia, struggle daily with a severe and abnormal breast overgrowth that caused pain, limited mobility, and emotional distress. After learning about the SHA through her local assistant chief, Naomi enrolled and registered her children as dependents. Lydia was treated at Kenyatta National Hospital, where SHA fully covered the cost of her specialised corrective surgery, amounting to KSh 168,000, as well as all post- operative follow-up care. No out-of-pocket payment was required. Lydia has since recovered well, regained her confidence and dignity, and is preparing to resume her education in this new year as she joins Form Four.

14. In Kisumu, Christine Awino Onyango, a 41-year-old widow, mother of five, and a mama mboga, faced a life-threatening diagnosis of Stage II oesophageal cancer. As a registered SHA member contributing KSh 7,000 annually, Christine received comprehensive treatment at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital. SHA covered medical costs exceeding KSh 250,000, including diagnostic tests, specialised surgery, five days of intensive care, and inpatient and post-operative management. Her chemotherapy, scheduled to begin on January 15, will also be fully covered.

15. These are not isolated stories. They reflect the experiences millions of other Kenyans who have benefited from outcomes of deliberate policy choices.

16. Ladies and gentlemen, for too long, farming was a gamble rather than an investment. Farmers planted and prayed, never certain whether the harvest would even cover costs. That story has changed. With affordable fertiliser and certified seeds reaching millions, yields have improved significantly.

17. Food production rose significantly. Maize harvests are on course to reach historic highs. Tea earnings surged. Coffee prices nearly doubled. Sugar production grew as imports fell. Livestock, dairy, leather, and meat exports expanded steadily.

18. We expanded educational opportunity through reformed, merit- based systems. And we helped nearly a million Kenyans access jobs through housing, labour mobility, and the digital economy, with many more opportunities coming in 2026 and beyond.

19. But even as we acknowledge this progress, 2025 was not defined by success alone. It was also a challenging year, one that tested our unity and reminded us of the responsibility that comes with freedom and democracy. The events of June and July, and the regrettable loss of lives and destruction of property, left a stain on our national conscience.

20. Our Constitution guarantees every Kenyan the right to express themselves, to assemble, and to participate freely in our democracy. But it also imposes duties on citizens and leaders alike to uphold the rule of law, protect life and property, and safeguard peace and stability. Rights and responsibilities are inseparable.

21. In a thriving democracy, debate and dissent are legitimate and necessary. But our Constitution does not license violence, destruction, or criminality. Differences must never degenerate into disorder that threatens the peace we cherish.

22. Those entrusted with leadership carry a heightened duty to unite rather than divide, to build rather than burn. Kenya is bigger than any individual, any office, or any ambition. This Republic belongs to all of us, and because it belongs to all of us, we share a duty to protect it.

23. Ladies and Gentlemen, as I announced during the State of the Nation Address, 2026 marks the moment when our journey to transform Kenya into a first-world economy begins in earnest. What matters now is execution.

24. But to speak honestly about the future, we must begin with the truth about the present. Today, nearly four in every ten Kenyans live below the poverty line. That is more than twenty million of our people, families working hard, yet struggling to meet basic needs.

25. While we have undertaken deliberate policy interventions to create employment under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, too many of our young people, especially those entering the job market, still wake up every morning without work to go to. This is the reality we are determined to change.

26. When a nation chooses to organise its economy around work, production, and exports, when it invests deliberately in infrastructure, energy, and skills, and when it finances growth intelligently, not recklessly, something profound happens.

27. Poverty recedes, jobs expand, and dignity rises.

Invited guests at Eldoret State Lodge in Uasin Gishu County on December 31, 2025. /PCS

28. This is not a theory. History shows us that countries like South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia made national transformation a deliberate choice. Each organised its economy around work, industry, exports, and skills, investing deliberately in infrastructure and people. Poverty fell. Jobs grew. Strong middle classes emerged.

29. These countries were not spared hardship; they prevailed despite it. Their success was built on elevated ambition, relentless determination, and sustained action over time. That is the path we have chosen for Kenya, and that is the future we are determined to build.

30. So let us be clear about our goals. We are committing ourselves to a measurable national mission:

• To cut the number of Kenyans living below the poverty line by half, lifting millions into dignity and opportunity.
• To cut unemployment by half, ensuring that millions of our citizens are productive, earning, and contributing.

31. And we will do this without crushing taxpayers and without saddling our children with unsustainable debt.

32. That is why, in January 2026, we will fully establish and operationalise the National Infrastructure Fund and the Sovereign Wealth Fund; key instruments designed to underpin Kenya’s transformation.

33. The National Infrastructure Fund will serve as the central engine for aligning our financial resources with Kenya’s development priorities.

34. Through innovative mobilisation of domestic resources, strategic monetisation of mature public assets, democratisation of ownership through capital markets, and the disciplined growing and deployment of national savings, we will unlock large-scale private sector capital while reducing reliance on borrowing and taxation.

35. All proceeds from privatisation will be ring-fenced and invested strictly in public infrastructure projects that generate and preserve long-term value. Every shilling invested through this Fund will crowd in multiple additional shillings from long-term investors in the private sector.

36. Alongside this, the Sovereign Wealth Fund will, for the first time, secure intergenerational equity, saving for the future, protecting the nation from external shocks, and investing strategically to grow national wealth, giving full effect to Article 201 of our Constitution.

37. Together, these two Funds will enhance by multiples the financing of Kenya’s development agenda and accelerate our bottom- up transformation as we charge forward, full steam, to economic freedom and a first-world economy.

38. Through this framework, 2026 becomes the year of execution at scale. In this new year, we will complete the Talanta Sports Complex, ready to host major international sporting events, including the 2027 AFCON. We will also complete the state-of-the-art Bomas International Convention Centre, restoring it as a premier venue for national and international conferences, and positioning Kenya as the region’s hub for international events.

39. We will accelerate the tarmacking of the 6,000 KMs of roads already contracted and underway across the country, including the Rironi- Mau Summit Road, which will be completed and open to traffic by mid 2027. At the same time, we will start the construction of several new highways countrywide.

40. Ladies and gentlemen, in this new year, we will also commence the construction of the Naivasha-Narok-Bomet-Nyamira-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway, creating a modern transport and logistics corridor linking Kenya to the east and central Africa region.

41. Equally, we will launch the Galana-Kulalu Dam, whose contract was signed yesterday, and several others as part of the expansion of our irrigation infrastructure across the country, with the ultimate objective of bringing 2.5 million acres of land under irrigation.

42. We will also begin the construction of a modern, world-class airport at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, to anchor our nation as the aviation capital of our region and to boost our trade and tourism sectors.

43. Ladies and Gentlemen, changing and transforming a country does not require a miracle. It requires a clear and bold vision, and a leadership equal to that vision. The nations that have succeeded were not exceptional by accident; they were deliberate by choice.

44. Fellow citizens, allow me to address a silent but deadly crisis confronting our nation today. Alcohol and drug abuse have become a clear and present danger to Kenya’s health, security, and economic future.

45. One in every six Kenyans aged between 15 and 65, that is over 4.7 million people, is currently using at least one drug or substance of abuse. This is no longer a marginal issue; it is a national emergency.

46. The burden falls heaviest on men and young people. One in every three Kenyan men in this age group uses drugs or alcohol. Among young adults aged 25 to 35, our most productive population, one in five is affected. Over 1.5 million young Kenyans are being pulled away from opportunity into dependency.

47. Alcohol remains the most widely used substance, with more than 3.2 million current users. Initiation often occurs between 16 and 20 years, and in some cases as early as seven, exposing children to lifelong harm before adulthood begins.

48. Kenya cannot grow, compete, or remain secure when millions are trapped in addiction. This crisis demands decisive national action.

49. Accordingly, going into the new year, the Government will confront alcohol and drug abuse as a national development and security emergency, backed by political will, expanded enforcement capacity, and coordinated action across the Government.

50. We will establish a strengthened Anti-Narcotics Unit within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, with operational capacity comparable to the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit. Fully resourced with modern surveillance, intelligence, forensic, and financial- investigation capabilities, the unit will operate as a permanent, multi- agency formation working closely with the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), the National Intelligence Service, Dorder Management Agencies, County Governments and International Partners.

51. To support this expansion, the unit’s strength will be boosted from the current 200 to 700 officers through new recruitment and redeployment, all trained and equipped for nationwide operations against high-level traffickers, financiers, and organised criminal networks.

52. Asset tracing, seizure, and forfeiture will become central to every narcotic and illicit alcohol investigation. The Assets Recovery Agency will be engaged from the point of seizure, and all assets used in or acquired through these activities, including cash, vehicles, land, buildings, and businesses, will be treated as proceeds of crime, promptly frozen, prosecuted, forfeited to the State, and redirected to rehabilitation, prevention, and treatment programmes.

53. Recognising these crimes as organised criminal enterprises, I urge the Judiciary to consider establishing specialised courts to fast-track cases, and I will consult with the Chief Justice on how the Executive can support this effort, including resourcing, while fully respecting judicial independence.

54. Border security will be strengthened through enhanced capacity for the Border Patrol Unit and the National Police Service, including modern surveillance technologies to monitor movement across our borders.

55. Finally, to safeguard integrity within the security services, any government official, including security officers, found culpable of facilitating, protecting, or colluding with drug traffickers or illicit alcohol networks will be prosecuted and dismissed forthwith from service.

56. Fellow citizens, this struggle is deeply personal to me, as your President, and as a parent. No law can replace parental guidance, community values, or early intervention in the lives of our children.

57. We must choose to be present in the lives of our children; to guide them, protect them, and intervene early, before addiction takes hold. If we fail to act, we fail our children; if we rise to this duty, we secure not only their future, but the moral strength and destiny of our nation.

58. And just as we demand responsibility in our homes, we must demand the same, at an even higher standard, from those entrusted with leadership in our public life.

59. I reiterate that 2026 and the years beyond will usher in a period of accountability. Leadership will be judged not by promises made, but by performance delivered; not by the exuberance of youth or the longevity of service, but by results and a proven track record.

60. Those entrusted with the privilege of leadership will be held to account for the service they render and the outcomes they deliver to the people; not for excuses crafted to mask a poverty of ideas or lack of ambition. The measure of leadership is impact, and that standard will apply to all. 

Invited guests at Eldoret State Lodge in Uasin Gishu County on December 31, 2025. /PCS

I have always observed this day with two emotions held in tension: deep gratitude to our forefathers and a restless question for ourselves: have we been faithful stewards of the freedom they won, and have we truly advanced the nation they left in our hands?

I shall return to these questions later.

But first, today, we gather not just to mark a date on the calendar, but to honour a legacy written in sacrifice, courage, and unbreakable resolve; a legacy forged by men and women who stared imperial power in the face and declared, with unshakable conviction, that Kenya would be free.

Their struggle planted our Republic on the firm foundations of liberty, unity, and democracy. They gave us more than a flag. They gave us a future.

Sixty-two years ago, the brave architects of our nation placed into our hands the priceless gift of political independence. On this very day, sixty-two years ago, our forefathers lowered the Union Jack and raised the flag of our nation. But that victory was not given easily. It was bought at immense cost.

President William Ruto inspecting a guard of honour during Jamhuri Day celebrations at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi on December 12, 2025. /PCS

The road to our nationhood was carved by the unbreakable spirit of our freedom fighters; men and women who refused to bow to the humiliations of colonial rule. From villages to towns, from farms and factories, to classrooms and marketplaces, Kenyans from every walk of life rose as one, declaring that their humanity would not be diminished, delayed or denied.

And when brute force was unleashed against them, their determination outlasted it.

Thousands paid the ultimate price. Many more were detained. Whole communities were uprooted. Punishment, pain, exile, and prison became tools of repression.

But what no empire could crush was their determination, resolve and unity of purpose. Across ethnicities, across regions, across class and creed, they became a force history itself could neither silence nor stop.

Their sacrifice opened the path to self-rule. Their courage delivered the independence we celebrate today. And it is upon their shoulders that our Republic stands strong today.

The architects of our nation overcame the trials of their time. While our challenges are different, their lesson is eternal; they rose to the dictates of their moment. It was not easy. But it was necessary. And because they did it, we are here.

So today, fellow citizens, history turns its gaze upon us and asks; faced with the challenges of our time, have we stepped up as they did?

When he took the oath of office, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta warned us that independence would mean nothing if it did not improve the daily lives of ordinary citizens. Tom Mboya reminded the nation that the greater struggle, and indeed the harder struggle, was not political independence alone, but development itself: the economic empowerment of our people and the unlocking of their full potential.

They understood that freedom was only the beginning. That the deeper battle would be against poverty that chains potential, against disease that steals opportunity, and against ignorance that dims human possibility.

And so today, as we gather to mark Jamhuri Day, we do more than remember victory. We honour the architects of our nation for giving us the first great watershed period in our nation-building: political independence.

Just as the first generation rejected colonial domination, and also set out to confront the next generations, were called to confront new enemies poverty, disease, and ignorance in all their forms. And they discovered, painfully, that independence did not amount to freedom in its fullest sense.

Along independent Kenya’s history, power became centralised. Dissent was silenced. Competition was crushed. Fear replaced hope. Once again, however, Kenyans rose, and from their struggle emerged the agitation for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

In the darkest days of the 1980s and 1990s, when it was dangerous to speak, brave Kenyans spoke. When it was illegal to organise, courageous citizens organised. Students, clergy, lawyers, journalists, workers, and politicians stood firm against detention, torture, exile, and even death, so that Kenya could breathe again.

Their reseolve and courage gave us the 2010 Constitution, a charter that restored the sovereignty of the people, restrained imperial power, entrenched rights, and devolved government and authority to the grassroots.

But it promised something even greater. It guaranteed economic and social justice. It declared that healthcare, housing, food, water, education, and social security were not favours; they are fundamental rights.

It was a bold promise. It was a moral imperative. It was the unfinished dream of both the independence generations. Yet today, with honesty and humility, we must admit, that this promise remains incomplete.

Yes, progress has been made. But the deeper promise, a Kenya where every citizen lives with dignity and shared prosperity, remains unfulfilled.

For too long, stagnation has returned in cycles. Negativity has been normalised. And too many have been asked to make peace with mediocrity.

That is why, before the last election, we had already realised that although we had achieved political independence and our new constitution expanded our democracy, human rights and the rule law; we still had not fully consolidated our nation. These two milestones, great as they were, had over time been undermined by the marginalisation of the majority.

We saw clearly a system in which a few rose to the top of the pyramid while millions at the base struggled to survive, with education outcomes compromised, healthcare beyond reach, access to affordable credit denied, housing unattainable, farmers abandoned, and our youth locked out.

That is the reason we came up with the Bottom-Up approach; to bring the marginalised majority back into the heart of our nation, to ensure that no one is left behind, and to begin the work of social re- engineering necessary to pursue the broader dream of economic freedom.

We had to begin where marginalisation and exclusion had been greatest, at the bottom. And so, over the last three years, we made bold choices, and they delivered results that are unprecedented, unmistakable and consequential.

President William Ruto pauses for the national anthem during Jamhuri Day celebrations at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi on December 12, 2025. /PCS

For years, we spoke casually of agriculture as the bedrock of our economy and of farmers as our pillars. But the truth is, we did not truly know them, and neither did we truly prioritise them.

Today, we do. For the first time in our history, over 7.2 million farmers have been brought into a single national digital database. We now know who they are, where they are, what they grow, and what they need. And with that knowledge came power, not for brokers, and not for cartels, but for the farmer.

This digital platform became and is the backbone of targeted support including subsidised inputs, affordable credit, and modern extension services reaching real farmers directly.

We lowered the cost of production. We brought the price of fertiliser down, and in doing so, we restored profitability to the smallholder farmer who produces over 70 percent of our food.

Fellow citizens, the results are undeniable. Maize production is up, unga prices are down, the tea sector is rising, coffee is rebounding, dairy is expanding and the sugar industry has been revamped.

By strengthening value chains, cooperatives, irrigation, and processing, we have built systems that work for our agricultural sector. And now, with millions of farmers no longer forgotten, we are ready to walk with them to the next chapter: Economic freedom.

Three years ago, education was in distress. Classrooms were overcrowded, universities were technically insolvent and teachers were overwhelmed.

Today, we have hired 76,000 teachers, and by next month we will have hired 100,000; the largest recruitment of teachers in kenya’s history. We have built 23,000 new classrooms, and 1,600 laboratories are under construction across the nation.

Importantly, through the Student-Centred Funding Model, we placed the learner at the heart of our reforms. For the first time in our history, scholarships and loans now follow need and merit, ensuring that every deserving student has a just and equal opportunity to pursue their dreams.

Nearly 500,000 young Kenyans have already benefited from this transformation; students who, under previous systems, would have been excluded by policies that failed to recognise them. This reform has lifted the financial burden from families and enabled students to choose courses that align with their talents, their aspirations, and the needs of our nation.

Having brought them back into the equation of opportunity, we are ready to walk with them into the next chapter; the economic freedom of Kenya.

On healthcare, we made another irrevocable decision, that no Kenyan should be too poor to live. For decades, universal healthcare was spoken of. But in our time, it is being actualised.

We engaged 110,000 Community Health Promoters who are now reaching millions who were once excluded, forgotten, and denied access to healthcare. They have already visited over 9 million households, screening millions of Kenyans for various ailments, including diabetes and hypertension.

At the same time, we built a unified health information system that now gives us full visibility of our health facilities, patients, and their progress, enabling us to track healthcare delivery in real time.

Today, over 28 million Kenyans are registered under the Social Health Authority, up from 8 million under the old system. That means

19 million Kenyans who were once forgotten are now in the healthcare equation. Among them are 2.3 million vulnerable Kenyans, orphans, widows, and the elderly, whose healthcare is now fully paid for by the government.

For them, healthcare is no longer a privilege. It is a right, fully secured. And with the fulfillment of this right, we are ready to walk with them into the next chapter of economic freedom.

For the millions of Kenyans without employment, we moved beyond diagnosing the jobs crisis to deliberately creating opportunities through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

For decades, housing, while being a constitutional right, was promised, but never delivered. Housing is not just shelter. It is collateral. It is creditworthiness. It is stability. It is the first true step out of poverty.

In just three years, through our Housing Programme, over 240,000 affordable homes, hostels for 180,000 students, 30,000 institutional housing for our military, police and prison officers, and over 400 new markets for our traders are under construction across all 47 counties. This is the largest public infrastructure transformation ever undertaken not just in Kenya, but also in our region, so far standing at an investment of Khs 650 billion.

Through the Affordable Housing Programme alone, more than 480,000 Kenyans have secured jobs and enterprise opportunities across over 300 active sites - from artisans and technicians to engineers and suppliers, shaping a new national skyline.

We have ring-fenced billions of shillings for the Jua Kali sector, fully integrating this long-neglected engine of craftsmanship into the national construction value chain. Today, Jua Kali artisans supply doors, windows, fittings, tiles, furniture, and fabricated materials to projects across the country.

In the digital and creative economy, we have trained two million young Kenyans in digital skills, and nearly 300,000 are already earning income. Through the Kazi Majuu Programme, nearly 500,000 Kenyans have secured well-paying job opportunities abroad.

We also launched the Ksh 20 billion NYOTA Programme to support 820,000 young people with training, mentorship, certification, and business capital. The first phase is complete, and KSh 300 million has already been disbursed in Western Kenya, with national rollout now underway.

Together, these actions reflect one clear national purpose: to open doors of opportunity for our youth, equip them to succeed, and empower Kenya’s greatest strength - the youth - to lead us toward prosperity and economic sovereignty. And now, with our young people, we are ready to walk into the next chapter — the economic freedom of Kenya.

As more students live in decent accommodation, as more traders conduct their business in dignified settings and as more public servants have access to housing, we are fulfilling a our constitutional mandate. With that foundation secured, we are ready to walk with our people into the next chapter of economic freedom.

Ladies and Gentlemen, through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation plan, we have consolidated the gains of political independence and the democratic freedoms won. Through deliberate social re-engineering, we have built systems that ensure no Kenyan is left behind.

And having ensured that we are carrying everyone along, we now have both the opportunity and the firm foundation to charge forward into the next chapter of our national journey - Kenya’s economic freedom. With the measures we have put in place to restore dignity, inclusion, and opportunity, we must now press on, relieving Kenyans of the burden of debt and excessive taxation. It is time to step up, from the bottom up, charging forward full-steam to economic freedom.

And as we accelerate this ambitious agenda, we have taken the difficult but responsible steps to stabilise our economy and restore fiscal discipline.

Inflation has fallen from 9.6% in 2022 to 4.6% last month. The shilling has stabilised at about KSh 129 to the dollar for nearly two years. Our foreign exchange reserves now exceed $12 billion, the highest in independent Kenya. Our successful Eurobond redemption reaffirmed to the world that Kenya honours its obligations. Our economy has grown and is now the 6th largest in Africa.

At the same time, we made bold national decisions to save more of our income. Through the new NSSF contributions, the Fund that had mobilised khs 312 billion from independence to 2023, has now grown to KSh 670 billion in just two years.

We established the Financial Inclusion Fund as a strategic intervention to correct a deep market failure, one that had denied

millions of Kenyans access to affordable credit. Blacklisted by the CRB, disregarded by banks, they had been left trapped in frustration and despair.

Today, Hustler Fund has become one of the most transformative instruments of empowerment in our nation’s history, disbursing over KSh 80 billion, and expanding the margins of financial inclusion at an unprecedented scale.

Over nine million Kenyans are now repeat customers, and more than seven million who were previously CRB blacklisted have successfully repaired their credit histories. It has restored dignity to millions. It has brought them back into the equation. They are no longer left behind.

And now, together, we are ready to walk with them into the next chapter; the economic freedom of Kenya.

Ladies and gentlemen, these reforms have stabilised our economy, restored investor confidence, and enhanced Kenya’s creditworthiness.

As we set out on this path of economic independence, let us remember that we are not the first to stand at such a crossroads. Nations like South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia once stood where we stand today, with limited resources, modest means; but with enormous courage, determination and ambition.

Prosperity was not handed to them. They reached for it. They rejected the ordinary. They refused to be prisoners of their circumstances. They believed in themselves and invested in their people. They were patriotic to their nation’s cause and demanded excellence of themselves. Today, they stand as first-world economies, not by accident, but by deliberate design, by intentional choice and purposeful conviction. Kenya can, and must, do the same; and more.

Three weeks ago, during the State of the Nation Address, I laid before Kenyans this administration’s bold and ambitious Ksh 5 trillion

roadmap to transform our nation into a first-world economy and to secure our full economic freedom.

That roadmap is anchored on three unshakable national priorities:

First, history teaches us that no nation ever prospered on poor roads, inefficient ports, or congested airports. Modern transport and logistics drive productivity, reduce the cost of doing business, and creates trade, business and innovation hubs.

Our 10 year roadmap on road, rail, ports, airports and oil pipeline infrastructure includes the expansion of strategic highways connecting our major cities, industrial zones, markets, border points, and agricultural belts, to move people, goods and services, faster, safer, and more affordably.

We have indentified 2,500 kilometres of highways for dualing, and 28,000 kilometres of roads across the Republic for tarmacking. With this we are stitching our nation together, linking towns to cities, farms to factories, and Kenya to the wider region.

Last week, fellow citizens, we moved from promise to action when we officially launched the construction of the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Road and the Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha Road — an investment of over KSh 180 billion in a modern 233km multi-lane dual carriageway, delivered through a Public–Private Partnership model.

In February 2026, we will begin extending the Standard Gauge Railway from Naivasha to Malaba, and later in the year extend the oil pipeline from Eldoret to Uganda, opening a new transport corridor with our neighbours and the continent.

At the same time, we will modernise Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and several other airports to enhance connectivity and ease the movement of people, goods, and services. The ports of Mombasa and Lamu are also on course for modernisation and commercialisation,

undertaken through innovative Public–Private Partnerships that include long-term concessioning.

Charging forward our infrastructure expansion, will provide the foundational support for a strong and resilient economy that will drive transformative development for all.

Second, fellow citizens, we must decisively shift our economy from dependence on imports to becoming a net exporter of agricultural products, manufactured goods and value-added commodities. Kenya spends nearly KSh 500 billion every year importing agricultural products. While we have reduced imports of maize, sugar, edible oil, and rice, our progress is still constrained by the limitations of rain-fed agriculture.

We can no longer leave the country’s food security to the uncertainty of rainfall, especially in the context of climate change. To feed our people and produce surplus for export, large-scale modern irrigation is the only viable path.

We have mapped out 50 mega dams, 200 mini dams and over 1000 micro dams across our 47 counties, and especially in our arid and semi arid areas, which have expansive, fertile and arable land currently not under production. With this plan an additional 2.5 million acres of land will be brought into agricultural productivity, through extensive water harvesting, water storage and advanced irrigation technologies.

This is not only about food and water security. It is a nation- shaping investment. It will drive our transition into a net-exporting economy. It will uplift rural communities and end the indignity of food insecurity. And it will anchor sustainable development for generations.

Charging forward, investing in modern irrigation will also supply the quantity, quality, and reliable raw materials required to power agro-industrialisation. Through SEZs, EPZs, and County Aggregation and Industrial Parks, and strategic market infrastructure, these raw

agricultural materials will be transformed into high-value products for domestic, regional, and global markets.

Third, fellow citizens, energy is the lifeblood of any modern economy. Although Kenya’s installed capacity stands at 3,300 MW, the intermittency of solar and wind leaves us with a firm capacity of only 2,300 MW, which is far below the demands of the Kenya we are building.

To power our domestic consumption, agro-processing and value addition industries, e-mobility, digital expansion, and a future driven by data centers, AI, and modern technologies, we must scale up energy generation exponentially. Kenya possesses extensive and largely untapped renewable resources, including geothermal, solar, hydro, wind, and nuclear, ready for development and generation.

Charging forward, to modernise our economy, accelerate our development, and compete globally, we must and will generate at least 10,000 MW of new energy over the next seven years.

Fellow citizens, to finance this Ksh 5 trillion national economic freedom project, relying solely on the national budget would leave us waiting forever. Borrowing would only deepen our debt and burden future generations. Raising taxes would place unbearable strain on households. And choosing inaction would condemn our nation to stagnation.

That is why we must act with courage, innovation and foresight to design alternative financing mechanisms, leverage mature national assets and tap into robust Public–Private Partnerships to undertake this national development imperative.

Fellow Kenyans, three weeks ago I signed the Government-Owned Enterprises bill into law. The new law revolutionises the management and governance of state-owned enterprises, professionalising boards through merit-based independent appointments, tying leadership to measurable results. This is a very consequential reform. It is the most far-reaching reform of government corporations since independence,

aimed at turning legacy parastatals into commercially disciplined companies that will serve public interest.

The passage of this law ends the era of cronyism and patronage in state-owned enterprises. This law explicitly disqualifies any person who has served in a public or political office within the last 5 years from appointment.

On Monday, under this new legal framework, the Cabinet will meet to consider and approve the architecture of the National Infrastructure Fund, as the engine that will align our financial resources with our development goals.

Through innovative mobilisation of domestic resources, strategic monetisation of mature national assets, democratisation of ownership through capital-markets, and innovative deployment of national savings, we will unlock large-scale private sector capital to fund our national priorities while reducing reliance on borrowing and taxation.

For decades, Kenya privatised major assets including Kenya Airways, KenGen, Kenya Re, and Safaricom, yet the proceeds were absorbed into the Budget, paying salaries and debts, leaving no enduring national assets behind.

Through the National Infrastructure Fund, all privatisation proceeds will be ring-fenced and invested strictly into public infrastructure development that generate and preserve more value.

This principle is already being actualised. Proceeds arising from the current privatisation processes will be channeled directly into the Fund, setting a new national standard where national assets create lasting public value.

Our goal is simple; for every shilling in the National Infrastructure Fund, we will attract ten more shillings from long-term investors, including pension funds, sovereign partners, private equity funds, and development finance institutions; allowing us to develop without the constraints that come with debt and taxation.

The National Infrastructure Fund will not be just a financing instrument, it will be a generational strategy to mobilise capital, accelerate delivery, preserve value and secure Kenya’s long-term competitiveness.

To protect future generations, on Monday the The Cabinet will consider and approve the Sovereign Wealth Fund policy, anchored on three pillars including savings for the future generations, stabilisation against global shocks, and strategic national investments. Natural resource royalties, dividends from public investments and a percentage of privatisation proceeds will capitalise this fund.

This fund will impose on us the obligation of inter-generational equity, bringing to life article 201 (c) of the constitution which demands that the burdens and benefits of the use of resources and of public borrowing shall be shared equitably between the present and the future, without shortchanging future generations.

But fellow citizens, even the strongest financing systems, boldest infrastructure plans, and most ambitious economic strategies will fail if we do not secure the foundation of our national character.

The fulfillment of our economic freedom project will rest on three critical enablers: strategic human capital development, robust peace, stability and security architecture, and unwavering integrity, and fidelity to the national interests.

To bolster human capital development, we have made bold investments in education, skills development, science, and innovation. We have raised the education budget from KSh 490 billion in 2021 to over KSh 700 billion this financial year, and expanded Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics education. But to power our first world strategic human capital requirements, we must and will raise the national research fund from the current 0.8% to the requisite 2% of GDP. This is not social spending; it is nation-building.

The second enabler underpinning this national project is peace, stability and security, for no nation can prosper in an atmosphere of

disruption, violence that leads to economic sabotage, destruction of property and loss of lives.

Stability is not an option; it is an enabler of everything we seek to build. Serious investors will only commit their investments in a country that is peaceful, stable and secure.

For Kenya to attract sustained investment, for businesses to grow, for jobs to expand, and for families to live without fear, we must secure our nation, firmly, fairly, and without hesitation.

Finally, the collective interest of all citizens, which form the national interest of Kenya, must be at the center of every action and engagement. Patriotism is putting the interest of the nation before tribe, clan or self. Integrity, in its highest form, is patriotism in action. It is believing in our country. It is refusing to betray Kenya.

And yet, let us speak honestly: our nation faces a serious integrity deficit crisis. It begins early in our homes, in our schools, where seemingly harmless dishonesty later matures into grand corruption. Corruption is not merely theft of money; it is the theft of hope, opportunity, and destiny. This is compounded by negativity, division, erosion of shared values and negative ethnic political mobilisation.

Hate and division, corruption, and tribalism tear at the very social fabric of our Republic.

Ladies and Gentlemen, our economic freedom project demands more than infrastructure and capital. It demands a renewal of our national conscience.

We must rebuild a strong value system. We must defend our national unity. We must raise our children in honesty, responsibility, and love for country.

These three enablers, strategic human capital development, peace, stability and security, and national interest and integrity, are not optional ideals. They are the living foundations upon which our economic independence must stand. Without them, our ambitions

would remain promises. With them, our national priorities become achievable, our investments become productive, and our vision of a prosperous, sovereign Kenya becomes not only possible, but inevitable.

Fellow citizens, our founding fathers defeated colonial domination.

The generation after broke the chains of dictatorship.

The onus is on our generation, and particularly this administration, to achieve economic freedom. A freedom where effort is rewarded, where opportunity is shared, where dignity is guaranteed, where every citizen matters and where no Kenyan will be left behind.

Let it be said of our generation that when Kenya stood at the edge of possibility, we chose courage over comfort, action over excuse, and unity over division; and excellence over mediocrity.

With resolute belief, today and every Jamhuri Day hereafter, should find us truer stewards of the freedom entrusted to us; that we shall honour our forefathers not only by remembering their sacrifice, but by fulfilling our duty and the assignment of this generation; to secure for Kenya the full promise of economic freedom.

It is time to step up, from the bottom up, charging forward full-steam to economic freedom.

I thank you.

God bless you. God Bless Kenya.

Kenyans during Jamhuri Day celebrations at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi on December 12, 2025. /PCS

In the 6,882-word, 37-page speech that lasted 1 hour and 14 minutes, the Head of State highlighted what he framed as a strong economic rebound, wide-ranging reforms across key sectors, and a bold plan to elevate Kenya to developed-nation status within a generation.

Addressing a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate, Ruto said his administration had steadied an economy he found in “severe distress” and put in place the foundations for long-term national renewal.

Here is the full speech:

1. It is a great privilege to have this opportunity to address the people of Kenya in these final moments of 2024 and to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year 2025. Without hesitation, we all agree that this year has been remarkable; a year to remember for its many challenges, obstacles, and risks that tested our resolve and threatened our prosperity, security, and happiness. Equally, it has been a year of numerous opportunities, successes, and progress that enabled us to overcome these undeniable difficulties and forge ahead with heroic determination.

2. The year began with strong faith and optimism despite a climate of hardship, uncertainty, and widespread anxiety. Security, economic instability, climatic challenges, and political uncertainty loomed large. Global economic shocks drove up the cost of living, while conflicts disrupted supply chains, creating scarcity and rising inflation. At the same time, we were striving to recover from the pandemic’s disruptions. Our currency, the shilling, faced significant pressure from major currencies. Many families struggled to provide daily meals as agriculture grappled with the aftermath of the region’s longest and harshest drought, followed by devastating floods that destroyed crops, livestock, infrastructure, and development.

3. At the year’s onset, parents were anxious about the transition of young learners into junior secondary school while the youth grappled with increasing difficulties in finding employment. In various parts of the country, perennial security challenges persisted. Additionally, demands for adequate, high-quality, and sustainable food, healthcare, and education not only persisted but grew even more pressing.

4. Looking at the days ahead, it became clear that overcoming these challenges would require unwavering faith, unity of purpose, immense sacrifice, and relentless hard work. We needed a coherent plan to address these obstacles, deliver the transformation our nation needs, and provide every Kenyan with the opportunities they deserve. The magnitude of the challenge demanded bold, decisive, and unfaltering efforts from all of us.

President William Ruto and Rachel Ruto at Kisii State Lodge on December 31, 2024. /PCS

5. We had to find ways of mobilising sufficient revenue to finance all our obligations, provide services inclusively and consistently, and invest in development. This called for tough decisions, not just to reduce waste and increase efficiency in the mobilisation and utilisation of public finances but also to promote broader compliance with our civic obligations to pay taxes whenever they fall due.

6. Under the difficult conditions we all faced, implementing these necessary and overdue measures caused much discomfort and contention. At the heart of the ensuing dissent lay a demand for a robust conversation about the stewardship of public resources and, by extension, the proper exercise of public authority. You, the people, made it clear to us as leaders that compliance with revenue measures must be accompanied by a stronger commitment on our part to deliver greater transparency and efficiency in the administration of all public resources. You demanded a more thorough national conversation to address the perennial inclusiveness question in order to reflect equity and social justice as primary considerations in government plans and actions.

7. Despite these challenges, we have worked tirelessly to fulfil the pledges and commitments of our governing mandate. We are making steady progress in feeding the nation, with productivity rising across key crop and livestock value chains, progressively enhancing our food security objectives. Similarly, we have deployed technology to digitise and automate the provision of services to the public, significantly increasing dividends in terms of service delivery and enhanced revenue collection.

8. The universal healthcare coverage is finally here with us, and we are working round the clock to address various hiccups in its roll-out that is to be expected in a programme of the magnitude and ambition of Taifa Care. Together with the counties, we have employed community health promoters to ensure health services are accessible and convenient for all Kenyans at the grassroots.

9. With the rollout of the construction of 200 markets, our marketplaces are developing into safe and dignified working environments for hustlers, complemented by ICT hubs in constituencies and wards, which are becoming essential nodes in our digital economy. The Hustler Fund has launched an enhanced facility aimed at transitioning borrowers in good standing into more robust financing to promote the growth of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

10. We have constructed thousands of classrooms and other facilities across the country to expand school infrastructure. Additionally, we have employed and trained more teachers to support the transition to the competence-based curriculum and ensure the seamless progression of learners into junior secondary school. We are addressing the chronic higher education financing challenges that had paralysed learning, research, and development at the peak of our education and training ecosystem. Our goal is to make higher education, particularly university education, more inclusive, ensuring that no one is left behind.

11. Our country’s network of transport and communications infrastructure continues to evolve rapidly to serve the needs of a demanding, dynamic, and rapidly modernising economy, ensuring it remains efficient and competitive. Institutional improvements and incentives are attracting investors to our land, driving industrialisation, expanding manufacturing, and enhancing our export capacity.

12. Ladies and gentlemen, the houses are finally here. Our affordable housing programme now includes 873,000 houses in its pipeline at various stages of development across different parts of the country. Among these, the inaugural 8,000 units are nearing readiness for handover and occupation. This programme alone has contributed 200,000 jobs to the 1,000,000 new jobs created through intentional, consistent, and strategic efforts. To ensure young people have opportunities to actualise their talents, apply their skills, and drive economic growth, we have pursued every promising intervention. From the National Urban Climate Resilience Programme, also known as ClimateWorx, to over 10 labour mobility agreements that provide qualified citizens with access to employment opportunities abroad, we have utilised every available mechanism to support their aspirations.

13. We have also made undeniable progress in securing the nation. Consistent investment in expanding the capabilities of our security service, equipping them with efficient, modern tools, and empowering them through technology has significantly enhanced our capacity to combat crime and ensure public safety. The strides we have made against terrorism, banditry, cattle rustling, cybercrime, and other offences will not only be sustained but will continue to be enhanced in the future.

14. It is important to acknowledge that, in the process of securing the nation, our security services often interact with citizens exercising their democratic freedoms and fundamental rights. They must continuously strike a delicate balance between delivering robust security responses and enabling the enjoyment of these rights and freedoms. In situations involving serious threats to public order, human life, and safety, this balance can be particularly challenging and knowing this, criminal elements often seek to exploit protests and demonstrations to further their schemes.

15. It cannot be denied that there have been instances of excessive and extrajudicial actions by members of the security services. At the same time, it must also be acknowledged that due process is underway in appropriate institutions to ensure accountability. That said, it is crucial to remember that every freedom has its limits and that public safety and order must always supersede the desire for unchecked liberty. We must ensure that our pursuit of rights and freedoms does not compromise our collective or individual safety, nor should we allow criminals to exploit constitutional rights to harm and destroy others.

16. In the spirit of fostering a candid national conversation, I urge every critical stakeholder to reflect deeply on the failures that have led people to adopt radical, individualistic, and self-centred interpretations of rights and freedoms, interpretations that often seem fundamentally opposed to the rights of others and the collective good. This tendency to promote a definition of rights and freedoms that undermines democracy and the public interest reflects a broader collapse of our value system and a serious strain on our moral fabric. I also believe that this disregard for moral values, including compassion, responsibility, and decency, contributes to violent crimes, such as femicide, perpetrated by men against women.

17. These are clear signals that our moral fabric is at risk of decay, exacerbated by various factors, including the manipulation of digital technology, particularly social media, to amplify anti-social behaviour and erode moral values.

18. The maintenance of our social fabric and the promotion of a strong value system is a collective responsibility we cannot run away from. This task has always required and will continue to require the involvement of a wide spectrum of society, agencies and institutions, with the family unit being the most critical. The broader community, faith-based organisations, the education system, and law-and-order institutions exist to support and complement the family’s fundamental role in nurturing compassionate, responsible citizens who are empowered to propel our nation forward.

19. As a society, we have a legitimate expectation that the next generations, benefiting from the accumulation of socio-economic, scientific, and technological advancements, will bring greater energy, better ideas, clearer vision, and a stronger commitment to our shared values. We should be humane, responsible, and well-grounded citizens whose actions promote unity, patriotism, democracy, the rule of law, and our rights and freedoms, rather than sabotaging them.

20. I have previously extended an invitation to all stakeholders, in their diversity, to join the national conversation and explore the best ways to implement an all-of-society strategy and approach to counter moral decay and reset our nation’s moral compass. As parents, we must never walk away from our children nor abandon them to the vagaries of our times. This is essential, as all the transformations we undertake today will mean little if our young people are left without sound guidance, moral mentorship and ethical support.

President William Ruto speaking at Kisii State Lodge on December 31, 2024. /PCS

21. The broad-based, bipartisan national conversation we are having with leaders from various political formations seeks to extend the principle of inclusiveness to its widest possible reach without compromising the fundamental values of competitive democracy and diversity of viewpoints. Our goal is to enhance, not diminish, our identity as a free, open, and democratic society founded on constitutionalism and the rule of law. We are making meaningful progress, which, if sustained, will establish us as a mature democracy firmly anchored in a sustainable political culture.

22. In 2024, our nation faced serious challenges and great difficulties. Yet, we did more than endure; we stood together in unity, worked with determination, and overcame these obstacles. Because we are Kenyans, indomitable, courageous, and enterprising people unafraid of hard work, because we are resilient champions who strive to win and face every challenge with dedication and stamina, we achieved progress despite significant difficulties.

23. Today, we have succeeded in laying a solid foundation for even faster progress in the coming year. The Kenyan shilling, which began the year on a subdued note, has appreciated significantly, strengthening from KSh165 to the dollar in February 2024 to KSh129 today, making it one of the world’s best-performing currencies. Inflation, a key indicator of economic health, has fallen from 9.6% in September 2022 to 2.7% in October 2024, the lowest level in nearly two decades. Meanwhile, foreign exchange reserves have surged by $2.4 billion to reach $9.5 billion, providing five months of import cover and insulating our economy from external shocks. Our economy continues to outpace global trends, growing at 5.6% in 2023, positioning us among the world’s fastest-growing economies.

24. In light of the outcomes of our collective determination and efforts, we have every reason to approach the new year with optimism and a renewed commitment, not only to work harder and achieve greater progress but also to transform ourselves and turn every challenge into an opportunity to do more and to do better.

25. In 2025, the seeds we have patiently and carefully planted will continue to germinate and grow. The progress we have made has set us firmly on a path of rapid and sustainable growth. As a result, we can anticipate stronger economic performance, more jobs for our youth, and higher incomes for farmers and entrepreneurs. Additionally, we expect that in 2025, more investments will mature, leading to a considerable expansion of our manufacturing sector and an increase in exports. The reforms we have implemented in both basic and higher education will also come to fruition, providing new momentum and focus for the entire education sector. In 2025, Taifa Care will approach optimal performance, offering significant relief to households by reducing the burden of healthcare costs and delivering enhanced benefits through an efficient, inclusive, and high-quality public healthcare system.

26. As we speak, subsidised fertiliser is already in stores waiting for farmers. Next year, we plan to achieve higher yields from every crop, ensuring even greater rewards for our hardworking farmers and food security for all Kenyans. Additionally, we aim to free our livestock from deadly infectious diseases, alleviating the fears of pastoralists and stockkeepers from devastating outbreaks. This is why the nationwide livestock vaccination campaign will be a game-changer. Unlike segmented vaccination efforts that left some areas unprotected and vulnerable to outbreaks, thereby risking re-infection in vaccinated regions, this voluntary comprehensive approach will eradicate these threats comprehensively once and for all.

27. In 2025, we will be busier at school and at work, better nourished, safer, more secure, and with more money in our pockets. We will hold productive national conversations to empower our youth as responsible custodians of our shared aspirations and to solidify our State as a robust and secure democracy. We will continue to work hard and deliver greater progress, becoming better equipped to tackle our challenges.

28. In 2025, I will have the honour of handing over the first keys to completed affordable housing units to hardworking men and women from all walks of life. At last, the transformation you entrusted us to lead will take tangible shape, and the fruits of our collective labour will be undeniable. We will continue to work for you and deliver for you. Let us, therefore, submit our hopes and aspirations to the Almighty God of all creation so that together, in unity and with a shared determination, we may embrace the New Year and work towards achieving the Kenya We Want, which is now well within sight.

He led the 61st celebrations in Nairobi County. Below is his speech in its entirety:

1. It is with immense pride that I join you in celebrating the 61st anniversary of our nation’s birth. At this pivotal moment, we reflect on the value of our sovereignty and celebrate the enduring legacy of those whose patriotic efforts took down the bastions of imperialism. Their sacrifice set our Republic on the path of liberty, unity, peace, enterprise, and democracy.

2. Today, we affirm - by reflecting on what we have accomplished since raising the flag of our nation - that by staying true to our national identity, we have remained consistent through seasons of abundance and scarcity. We assert our essential collective character, defined by the values and principles that inspired our forefathers to struggle and sacrifice, persist and persevere, endeavour and endure until oppression gave way to freedom, exclusion gave way to unity, and marginalization gave way to equality.

3. We remember that our nation was born from the painful sacrifice and the tireless, often lonely, and gruelling efforts of men and women driven by the conviction that their sweat, tears and blood were a worthy price to pay for ushering millions of their brothers and sisters from the dark, cold night of imperial brutality into the warm daylight of freedom.

4. Before 1963, our people were compelled to work hard to enrich colonial settlers. After 1963, our people laboured by choice to provide for their families and build our nation. Before 1963, education, health and personal security were privileges reserved for the colonial elite. After 1963, they became the right of all citizens. Before 1963, African people existed to be seen and not to be heard. After 1963, we reclaimed our inalienable sovereignty to its fullest extent.

5. The year 1963, therefore, marked Kenya’s profound moment of historical change, yet it also represents an equally fundamental moment of essential and defining continuity. Our circumstances changed forever, and our horizon was illuminated by the forces of possibility - the dawn of opportunity shining brightly. Yet our values, hard work, unity, and determination remained constant. We applied these same principles to building our nation after liberation.

President William Ruto inspecting a guard of honour during the 61st Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi on December 12, 2024. /PCS

6. There is an important point worth emphasising: In our time, our generation must never focus so much on the present that we forget where we were only six decades ago. We must not ignore the fact that our freedom, democracy, and development were achieved through the contributions of millions of determined patriots, nor should we underestimate the time and patience it took for these small, progressive efforts to accumulate into an unstoppable momentum towards freedom and nation-building.

7. It may have been easy to despise individual freedom fighters as they ventured into a forest of uncertainty and to underestimate their ambition to free Kenya from colonialism. Yet that is precisely how we gained our independence. Courage and hard work, determination and patience, and the confidence that we are not alone are always what it takes to make meaningful strides as a nation.

8. Today, I want to encourage my fellow citizens to keep this perspective in mind. As we aspire for more and better, we must not give way to despair, pessimism, or scepticism when faced with challenges but instead forge our path forward with courage, hope, determination, and ambition.

9. I declare my unwavering faith in the ability of our people to interrogate policies and hold the government accountable. This is the essence of democratic freedom - a civic duty for citizens, a responsibility for leaders, and a necessary imperative for our success and progress.

10. We have experienced a particularly challenging time as a people, largely owing to dynamics beyond our control, resulting in a high cost of living, greater difficulty in finding employment, and fewer opportunities for entrepreneurs. Consequently, there was widespread anxiety about the economic stability of our nation, demanding urgent and appropriate interventions and effective solutions.

11. The Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda was inspired by our determination to confront these fundamental challenges directly and with ambition. Our aim was, first, to lay the foundation for robust economic activity to generate millions of opportunities at the bottom of the economic ladder each year and drive substantive, inclusive and sustainable growth. Our key priorities were to reduce the cost of living, stimulate enterprise, boost productivity, create jobs, foster a conducive environment for institutional and infrastructural development, and promote investments in manufacturing, industrialisation, and export competitiveness.

12. As a starting point, it was critical for us to tighten our belts and make significant sacrifices to reset our public finances on a sustainable path, enabling intensified investments in the strategic pillars of our plan and the cross-cutting enablers of rapid transformation. I acknowledge the work we have done and the milestones achieved in creating the necessary conditions for progress in every value chain that supports the pillars of our plan.

13. There is a time to resist and a time to accept; a time to deny and a time to admit; a time to doubt and a time to believe. In the face of undeniable evidence, scepticism must give way to confidence, and we must reject the deceptive embrace of disinformation and fake news. The results and positive impact of our collective pursuit of fundamental economic change can no longer be wished away.

14. Ladies and gentlemen, financial inclusion is now a reality for millions of Kenyans. The Hustler Fund is marking its second anniversary on a highly successful note, having empowered Kenyans by lending a total of KSh60 billion so far, liberating millions from predatory lenders and precarious financial situations, enabling them to meet their needs, fund their hustles, and build their credit scores.

15. Our ongoing conversation with borrowers focuses on concerns related to the short borrowing duration, modest loan amounts, and the time required to increase borrowing limits. In response to this feedback, the Fund has designed a new product, the Bridge Loan, to help Kenyans with good credit scores transition from personal loans to enhanced facilities offering larger loan amounts with longer repayment periods. This will enable Kenyans to pursue bigger opportunities and better investments.

16. Ladies and gentlemen, not only have we registered successive historic gains against the shame of hunger for 3 seasons, but we are also firmly on the path towards surplus production. This impressive rise in productivity has multiplied the incomes of farmers in the maize, tea, sugar, coffee and dairy value chains.

17. There is no doubt that this agricultural transformation is the direct result of our strategic decision to shift public resources from consumption subsidies to supporting productivity. Food is now more accessible to households than before and, as I stated in the State of the Nation Address, our country now boasts substantial national food stocks: 95 million 50kg bags of maize, 9 million bags of beans, 10 million bags of wheat, and 2 million bags of rice. Step by step, we are building a food-secure Kenya where every family can afford and access a meal.

18. Farmers have brought more land under cultivation and produced much more per acre than before, thanks to the timely availability of subsidised inputs and extension services. Agro-industries have more raw materials, and value addition is on the rise. The agro-industrial sector is also creating more jobs each year as we gear up to compete in various export markets driven by expanding intra-African trade, opportunities in the European Union and United Kingdom markets, and our growing competitiveness in global markets.

19. Ladies and gentlemen, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda prioritises digital transformation as a cornerstone of inclusive economic growth. This is why we are undertaking an ambitious expansion of our national digital infrastructure by deploying a fibre optic network to connect over 74,000 public institutions and establish 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots because digital transformation is a critical enabler in creating opportunities across all sectors. We intend to use this infrastructure to extend Internet connectivity to 8.5 million homes and businesses and eliminate the digital divide which undermines technological inclusivity in homes, schools, villages and counties.

20. I take this opportunity to affirm the significant progress already made, which is accelerating due to the digitisation of government services. Through the e-Citizen portal, we have digitised 20,855 government services, streamlining public service delivery, enhancing transparency and efficiency, eliminating opportunities for corruption, and increasing the visibility and mobilisation of public revenues. The transformative power of this single initiative to improve citizen experience with public services and enhance the government’s ability to manage public resources effectively highlights the immense value of digital transformation.

21. Additionally, our digital transformation strategy is making significant contributions to skills development and job creation. For example, Ajira Digital and Jitume Digital are advancing our vision to equip 20 million citizens with ICT skills, fostering entrepreneurship and enhancing inclusive digital literacy. In other words, an additional 20 million Kenyans are being prepared for high productivity in the digital economy. We have also adopted the integration of creative industry courses into technical and vocational colleges as a reliable mechanism to build a skilled workforce.

22. These robust measures form the foundation of our strategy to promote the emergence of a fully-fledged digital economy, leveraging Kenya’s position as a regional hub for software development and digital exports. These initiatives are supported by key interventions, such as the establishment of institutional and incentive frameworks to promote investments, foster collaborations, and encourage the transfer of digital technologies, with a particular focus on AI and blockchain. Through these efforts, we are empowering local digital innovators and tech entrepreneurs to drive economic diversification and resilience.

23. Ladies and gentlemen, the discourse around universal healthcare remains lively, with concerns being raised about eligibility for coverage, the capability of the facilities to deliver services, and the alignment of contributions with benefits.

24. Under Taifa Care, our inclusive, universal, efficient, and transparent healthcare service model, we are implementing a transition on an unprecedented scale. We have successfully transitioned 5.6 million citizens from the National Health Insurance Fund and registered 11 million Kenyans under the Social Health Insurance Fund. This means that, in just two months, 11 million Kenyans who previously lacked access to healthcare services are now registered, with the registration process going on full steam in every part of Kenya.

Scouts from different countries during the 61st Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi on December 12, 2024. /PCS

25. I commend Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Bomet, Embu, and Lamu, the five leading counties so far in Taifa care registration. At the same time, I encourage the people of Marsabit, Garissa, Mandera, West Pokot, and Turkana counties to mobilise, register, and take advantage of the benefits of this transformative programme.

26. Taifa Care ensures healthcare access for all registered citizens without discrimination of any kind. The program has accurately determined the cost of each healthcare service and product, ring-fenced resources for equipment and facility improvements, and leveraged digital technology to radically enhance the management, coordination, and delivery of healthcare, promoting efficiency, transparency, inclusivity, and sustainability. No public service delivery project of this scale and ambition has ever been undertaken in the history of our country. We are confident that we will quickly surpass the 16.5 million citizens so far registered and provide all Kenyans with high-quality healthcare that is efficient, effective, affordable and sustainable.

27. Having said this, I wish to ask you this important question: Have you registered? Those who have registered often find that many of the issues, concerns, fears and questions are fully addressed to their satisfaction. I therefore encourage every Kenyan to register and enjoy the fundamental constitutional right to healthcare.

28. Ladies and gentlemen, after two and a quarter years, the decent, durable, dignified, and affordable houses we promised Kenyans are finally here. Since September this year, 1,200 affordable housing units have been completed. Additionally, the State Department of Housing has advertised 4,888 units available for sale to the public through the Boma Yangu platform. Our goal to increase the number of mortgages from 30,000 to one million has now shifted gears. Our delivery pipeline for affordable housing now has a total of 124,000 units at various stages of development across Kenya, while a total of 840,000 planned projects over the next four years are projected to create 1 million jobs.

29. Ladies and gentlemen, despite the multiple challenges and crises we have had to grapple with, we have succeeded in keeping our commitments, taking steady steps towards our aspirations and moving our nation closer to its destiny. Work is underway across the country, and opportunities are opening up for many citizens, especially the youth. Over the past 2 years, the number of employment opportunities has increased with new jobs for teachers, agriculture sector workers, healthcare professionals, building and construction, seafarers and outside Kenya under our labour mobility programme.

30. The affordable housing strategic pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda has so far created 200,000 jobs and thousands of indirect opportunities across the building and construction value chain. The universal healthcare coverage pillar has engaged 107,000 community health promoters, alongside other healthcare professionals employed to support our vision of a functional national healthcare system. In addition, jobs will be created in healthcare innovation, service delivery, and ICT support for the digital health system, unlocking opportunities nationwide. Furthermore, we have recruited 56,000 teachers to address the chronic teacher shortage and moved the national teacher-to-student ratio closer to the United Nations recommendation of 1 teacher for every 40 learners. This December, we are hiring an additional 20,000 teachers, while our rejuvenated micro, small, and medium enterprises have created 840,000 jobs this year.

31. To address the urgent need to create opportunities for the hundreds of thousands of young men and women entering the labour market annually, we have expanded the employment opportunity spectrum and implemented strategies to secure jobs abroad to facilitate mobility and placement of suitably qualified Kenyans. Since September 2022, more than 243,000 Kenyans have secured international job opportunities in the healthcare, agriculture, and construction sectors, among others, and in the last two months alone, 12,000 have secured jobs abroad. So far, we have completed bilateral labour frameworks with seven countries, while agreements with two more countries are awaiting signature. Additionally, agreements with 13 other countries are at various stages of negotiations, and we project to connect up to 2 million Kenyans with jobs abroad once completed.

32. Our Digital Superhighway and Creative Economy programme, which involves laying 100,000 km of last-mile fibre-optic infrastructure and establishing digital hubs nationwide, is designed to create digital jobs at the grassroots. To date, 690,000 citizens have been trained in digital skills through the Ajira and Jitume programmes in various learning institutions, TVETs, and Constituency Innovation Hubs, out of which 180,000 youth have already been linked to online job opportunities, well on track to creating one million jobs through this programme.

33. Our Special Economic Zones and Export Processing Zones are boosting investment, manufacturing, and exports, creating jobs and increasing national wealth. In the past two years, we have licensed over 80 companies within these zones, creating 14,000 jobs. The six Export Processing Zones flagship projects in Busia, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Eldoret, Kwale, and Nakuru, now being developed, are set to generate 30,000 more jobs. Additionally, the ongoing operationalisation of Dongo Kundu and Naivasha special economic zones will create 26,000 jobs, facilitating private special economic zone investments and supporting county and public special economic zone operations.

34. At the same time, our youth are actively contributing to climate action, urban neighbourhood improvement, and landscape restoration through the Kenya Urban Resilience or ClimateWorX program. Recognising the urgency, scale, and importance of these efforts, ClimateWorX is designed to be ambitious. So far, 21,560 Kenyans have been engaged in Nairobi, with nearly half- 48% - being women, reflecting a strong commitment to gender parity. The programme will soon be expanded nationwide to engage 200,000 young men and women in critical infrastructure and environmental projects within our towns and communities. This initiative not only offers opportunities but also empowers youth to strengthen the foundations of urban living and tackle climate change.

35. We are also investing in local content creation to enhance the quality and competitiveness of Kenyan creative products for export while facilitating the development of digital platforms to distribute Kenyan creativity to global audiences. I am confident that we are firmly on course to transform opportunities for our creative industry.

36. I salute the actors in our creative spaces whose work brings life to our cities, streets and screens, yet their achievements are overshadowed by injustice. Musicians, who are the heartbeat and soul of our culture, have long been denied their rightful earnings. It is unacceptable that an artist earns as little as Ksh10,000 a year while those tasked with collecting their royalties pocket millions monthly. This injustice must end. The Kenya Copyright Board, in conjunction with industry players and eCitizen, must establish a transparent, real-time system for royalty collection and distribution to rightful owners and beneficiaries.

37. As we champion this cause, Kenya is also preparing for global leadership by bidding to host the 2026 World Creative Economy Conference, signalling our commitment to celebrate our talent and showcase our vibrant culture to the world. Hosting this conference will be a bold declaration of Kenya’s leadership in the creative economy.

38. Our committed interventions are creating jobs and opportunities, and this is only the beginning. We are building on the foundation we have laid to create more jobs going forward. The essence of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda is to enhance our capacity for incremental achievement and thus accelerate our progress in delivering our commitments for the benefit of all Kenyans.

39. What I wish to emphasise on this Jamhuri Day is that regardless of how difficult circumstances get, and despite obstacles, resistance and anxiety, it remains the mandate of leadership to keep true to their word and the duty of government to deliver. We have every intention of fulfilling our commitments and are at the point where the first projects are successfully entering maturity.

40. The deliberate and intentional effort to develop effective strategies for creating employment opportunities within our broader economic transformation agenda is bearing fruit. From the current numbers, it is clear that employment opportunities, whether domestic, international, or online, will increase significantly in the coming days. We are determined to build a labour market capable of absorbing as many job seekers as possible, cognisant of the output of our education and training institutions, which produce talented, skilled, and motivated young people. By doing the hard work and heavy lifting now, we are laying the foundation for citizens to seize opportunities in the future.

41. As we do this, let us reflect on the lessons of history and rise above our political differences to deliver for Kenya. Those who came before us overcame far more turbulent divisions to score a historic victory whose everlasting legacy benefits us today and will endure for posterity. As they fought hard to reclaim our sovereignty, the enemies of our freedom deployed state-of-the-art technologies of the time, the radio and the aeroplane, to disseminate disinformation and propaganda. This was meant to discourage, trick and deceive people that freedom fighters had been defeated and that their leaders had been captured and neutralised. Our heroes and heroines were not deterred and, inspired by the righteousness of their cause and the transformational moment they were in, soldiered on courageously. On 12th December, therefore, every Kenyan witnessed their vindication as our majestic flag rose and, collectively, we reclaimed our proud Jamhuri. Jamhuri Day is also a moment for Kenyans to expose the fake news aimed at discrediting our ambition, sabotaging our hope and seeking to dampen our resolve.

42. I have no doubt that the national economic transformation agenda will succeed and deliver for the people of Kenya. I have no problem with discourse, criticism and alternative proposals. In fact, I welcome them and listen to feedback in order to learn, improve and become better. At the same time, I see clearly that a lot of what passes for facts are falsehoods and that most opposition is based on inaccurate representations and outright disinformation. We are at the stage in social development when digital technologies have immense capacity to amplify disinformation, magnify fake news and distort facts beyond all recognition. If we give in to these emerging negative trends, we shall pay with our freedom, democracy and development.

43. I therefore urge all Kenyans to participate fully in our democratic discourse, even as we work hard in nation-building. At all times, let us endeavour to engage on the basis of truth. Failure to do so will take us down the path of negativity, tear us away from the values we cherish and turn us into a people estranged from unity who sabotage development, undermine democracy and destroy our Republic in the pursuit of political expediency.

44. When we say that the cost of basic food commodities has come down, it is a fact. When we say that inflation has gone down, it is a fact. When we say that our farmers are producing more and better, it is a fact, and when we say that Kenyans who have registered for Taifa Care are receiving better services than before, it is a fact. We encourage everyone, including our critics, to engage on the basis of facts and the truth. If some of us persist in the culture of reckless negativity, for how long will cynics mobilise Kenyans to deny facts that they can touch, feel and see? What will they say in a few weeks’ time when we begin to give keys to the new owners of affordable housing units? What will they say of the thousands of plumbers, electricians, teachers, health workers, building and construction workers, digital workers and many more who are already at work, including the 300 young men and women who were flagged off by my deputy yesterday to work abroad?

45. I am confident in the future of our nation and the capacity of our national transformation agenda to deliver because I appreciate the strategies we have put in place, the work underway and the people's motivation to make their contribution. I count myself as one of many millions of Kenyans who want the best for our nation and all its people and are committed to putting in the effort required to make our dreams come true. We are driven by strong hope and unwavering optimism, as well as an unfailing desire to reach for a better tomorrow. It is confidence based on understanding, hope built on truth and optimism that stands on facts.

46. We must do all we can to maintain the essential character of our Republic as an open and free democratic society. This implies that we must also do all we can to ensure that our political competition and rivalry never degenerate into a contest to assault democracy, oppose development and demoralise the people. We must remember that whatever else sets us apart, we are united by a desire to achieve the best for Kenya and its people. With this in mind, we must promote inclusion and broaden our platform for collective engagement to allow the articulation of diverse viewpoints and the expression of fresh, new and bold approaches. To be transformational, we must be ready to transform ourselves and our strategies on a continuous basis.

47. I will continue to reach out to Kenyans of all walks of life, regardless of their ideological persuasion, to maximise the cross-pollination of the flower of our Republic and guarantee robust seeds for future seasons. You must never underestimate your power as citizens and your ability to create positive change individually and all of us collectively. Over time, we have made gradual and steady changes to many of the economic development strategies in order to take on board feedback from the people. In fact, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda has in-built mechanisms to improve on the basis of this feedback because we recognise that, as leaders, every day of work is a day of learning from the people and that every good idea must always give way to a better one. Listening, therefore, is a primary component of effective leadership, and national transformation is a collective enterprise of all citizens.

48. I am grateful to distinguished patriots who have demonstrated outstanding leadership across the political aisle for the spirit of goodwill in which we have engaged to address critical national issues, including resolving the inclusivity challenge by formulating a broad-based government. I also appreciate the good wishes, encouragement and support from leaders with whom I continue to discuss matters of importance to our nation. I am persuaded that together, we can achieve much more and much sooner for Kenya and that the future of our dreams is now within sight.

49. I readily concede that we are yet to reach the destination of our aspirations because we have not yet delivered fully on all our commitments. Having said that, it is also a fact that we are no longer where we were a year ago, let alone 2 years ago. We have moved beyond pledges and commitments and are now making progress with our implementation strategies. There is now sufficient evidence of an undeniable character that together, the people of Kenya are hard at work to achieve their shared vision of a nation transformed.

50. Our ability to feed the people and keep them healthy, to empower them and connect them with opportunities, to keep them safe and protect their freedom, is improving by leaps and bounds. When we all unite, inspired by a shared aspiration, to undertake nation-building, we shall make our nation great, and our collective legacy will inspire present and future generations.

President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto with Deputy President Kithure Kindiki during the 61st Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi on December 12, 2024. /PCS

Here is the full speech; 

1. I am honoured to address you today in fulfilment of the mandate vested in me under Article 132(1)(c) of the Constitution, to report to you and to the people of Kenya on the measures we have taken and the progress we have made in realising our national values and principles of governance, and to submit to you, honourable members, the progress made in fulfilling our international obligations.

2. Since my last address, Kenya has undergone rapid change occasioned by the collective awakening of the people in the understanding that the state of the nation depends on the work we do, individually and collectively. This realisation extends not only to what we choose to undertake, but also to how we go about securing careers, and livelihoods, and contributing to the grand enterprise of nation-building.

3. There has never been doubt, and now there is none whatsoever, that Kenya is a land of bold ambition, with our citizens always desiring and insisting on the best possible standards not only for themselves but also for their families and the nation. Consequently, our democracy has empowered citizens to ask questions and demand changes in the way their affairs are managed, driving the wheels of the nation’s social, political, and economic transformation faster in the direction of excellence and prosperity. Rare are the times when leadership is ahead of the people; we are always striving to steer the machinery of State and government to keep pace with the aspirations of citizens.

4. We have learnt, through the hard as well as more customary ways, that listening is a full-time occupation of leadership, and that all questions asked by the people must be answered thoroughly and in full. We have learnt never to take anything for granted and make every effort to carry all our people along with us in our pursuit of our transformation.

5. The context in which I make this national address is not only significantly different from previous occasions, but it is also a singular moment with unique historical implications for us all. It is an opportunity to affirm the principles and values on which our nation stands, review the steps we have taken, and the path we have chosen in our journey of national development and reinforce the commitments we have made to one another and to our beloved nation for the sake of present and future generations. I do not take this for granted and, with utmost respect and humility before this august assembly of the people's elected representatives, I desire to respond to the most pressing concerns that have been raised by Kenyans of all walks of life in recent months.

6. To my understanding, the concerns and issues voiced by millions of Kenyans about the state of our nation deserve meaningful engagement, thorough understanding and thoughtful response.

7. There are discussions about whether leaders understand the pain, hardship and struggles endured by countless citizens every day as they strive to make ends meet, and whether the government is doing anything about it. Similarly, many struggling Kenyans impatiently wonder when real money will get into their pockets, and when the promised jobs they deserve will become a reality.

8. Additionally, there have been conversations about our education system, particularly the transition to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), and whether policies in this sector are working for or against Kenyans.

9. Important questions have also been raised concerning the direction of developments in relation to democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as the rule of law, transparency and accountability.

10. Another more direct question that emerges every now and then, is whether public policy under this administration is in furtherance of service delivery to citizens or just in aid of political strategy.

11. It is undeniable that, for many Kenyans, times are hard and the struggle to meet their daily basic needs remains daunting. It is also true that these conditions have persisted for a number of years now, leading to much frustration and anxiety. Although we have gone some way to mitigate some of these difficulties, much remains to be done, though we have laid a firm foundation for decisive intervention. I believe that it is critical for us to bear in mind that this administration was inaugurated at an extremely difficult time characterised by domestic economic challenges, compounded by regional and global security, geo-political, financial, as well as climatic dynamics.

12. As a result, in 2022, the country's total debt burden was not only immense but it was also stacked up in a most burdensome manner, leaving little to no room for investment in public services or the development of critical infrastructure. The prices of basic food commodities soared as a result of a combination of prolonged drought, declining local productivity due to inadequate support, and disruptions in global supply chains caused by the war in Europe.

13. Kenya faced a crossroads of extremely difficult choices, where defaulting on our obligations would have significantly worsened an already perilous situation and more borrowing was out of the question. It was therefore essential for us to drastically reduce expenditure, mobilise as much resources domestically as possible, and curtail waste.

14. As I informed the nation then, matters were going to get more difficult before they got better, and we all had to tighten our belts and work hard under very unforgiving conditions. We had staked the fate of our ambitious Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda on easing the stress that the economy was in, and the strain citizens underwent while creating room for the implementation of our transformative interventions.

15. I give this background to underscore two important facts. First, we have not been watching helplessly and doing nothing as adversity took a toll on the economy and undermined the livelihoods and well-being of the people. On the contrary, we have been working tirelessly to steer the country away from the brink of unprecedented economic collapse and onto a more promising trajectory. The second point is that while we may not be where we would like to be, we are certainly not where we were two and a quarter years ago. At the time, the cost of living was substantially high, with prices of basic food commodities beyond the reach of many households.

16. Today, I am proud to report that all macroeconomic indicators point to a positive turnaround and an upward trajectory. Allow me to highlight a few milestones that underscore this progress: The shilling has stabilised significantly, appreciating from KSh162 to the dollar in February 2024, to KSh129 today, a remarkable gain of 20%. This recovery has restored confidence in our financial markets and significantly reduced the cost of servicing external debt, creating vital fiscal space for our development imperatives.

17. Inflation has declined dramatically from 9.6% in September 2022 to 2.7% in October 2024, the lowest rate in 17 years. This achievement has been the consequence of favourable weather, and our deliberate efforts to support farmers with affordable inputs including subsidised fertiliser, leading not only to increased production but also productivity, and lowering the prices of many cereals, including maize, and pulses such as beans and peas.

18. Our foreign exchange reserves have surged by $2.4 billion to hit a record $9.5 billion, providing 4.8 months of import cover, the highest in 10 years. This resilience shields us from external shocks in the global economy and restores investor confidence. Interest rates are also trending downward, reducing borrowing costs and freeing up fiscal space for growth-enhancing initiatives by businesses. Tax revenues have grown by 11.5% in the year to June 2024, reflecting the success of our tax base expansion measures. The economy continues to grow steadily, recording a 5.6% growth rate in 2023, among the highest globally. We project 5% growth this year and 5.6% in 2025.

Honourable Members,

19. Our efforts to secure food security and stability are already bearing fruit. Since February, we have distributed subsidised fertiliser to 6.45 million registered farmers in 45 counties, enabling them to increase their yields. This year we have procured and through e-vouchers distributed 7 million bags of both planting and top-dressing fertilizer to boost food production across the country. This intervention will see a projected increase in maize production to a record of 74 million 90 kg bags. We have also concluded long-term agreements with eleven suppliers of assorted fertiliser so as to make this commodity available all year round. Fertiliser for the long rain season will be stocked in outlets nationwide, ensuring our farmers are ready to plant, grow and produce. 

This forward momentum will not only increase our agricultural output but also reduce our reliance on costly food imports, securing a more self-reliant and prosperous Kenya.

20. This approach, rooted in my administration’s policy to support production rather than subsidise consumption, has already made food more accessible and affordable to households. Today, Kenya boasts substantial national stocks: 47 million 90kg bags of maize, 8.8 million bags of beans, 10.4 million bags of wheat and 2.1 million bags of rice. Slowly but surely, we are building a food-secure Kenya where families need to worry less about their next meal.

21. In the sugar sector, we have achieved a historic milestone. All 17 sugar factories across the country are now operational, producing at impressive levels, while four new sugar factories are under construction. In July alone, domestic sugar production reached 84,000 metric tonnes, surpassing the national monthly consumption average of 40,000 metric tonnes. For the first time in recent history, Kenya is producing enough sugar to meet local demand. This success is attributed to subsidised fertiliser for sugarcane farmers, an additional 500,000 acres of land brought under production, and improved management of the sector, which have revitalised production and brought the industry back to life. I just signed the new sugar law to provide further policy guidance, as we seek to be a sugar-exporting country.

22. In the coffee sector, we are on track to increase exports from 51,000 metric tonnes to 150,000 metric tonnes by 2027. The government has also raised disbursements through the Cherry Advance Fund from KSh 2.7 billion to KSh 6 billion, complemented by an additional disbursement of KSh 1.5 billion by the Commodities Fund. Average prices at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange have risen by 25%, and in the last financial year, the country produced and exported 48,000 metric tonnes, earning farmers KSh 25 billion.

Additionally, 320,000 bags of fertilizer have been allocated specifically for the coffee sector. These interventions are expected to boost smallholder farmer earnings from KSh 300,000 to KSh 500,000 per acre annually by the end of 2027.

23. The dairy sector remains a vital value chain with a quick turnaround impact on households and the economy. The government has released KSh 3 billion to modernise the New KCC, ensure farmers are paid on time, and maintain a high price of KSh 50 per litre. As a result, milk intake to KCC has increased from 100,000 litres to 220,000 litres a day. Other strategic interventions include the extension of duty-free imports for feed manufacturing raw materials, subsidised artificial insemination services, and the reduction of sexed semen costs from KSh 7,000 to KSh 2,900 through the Kenya Animal Genetic Resource Center.

24. These measures have led to a 14% increase in milk production, from 4.6 billion litres in 2022 to 5.2 billion litres in 2023, with projections exceeding 6 billion litres this year. The value of exported dairy products has nearly doubled, rising from KSh 4.8 billion in 2022 to KSh 7.2 billion in 2023. These gains demonstrate how targeted policies can deliver tangible benefits to dairy farmers and drive growth in the economy.

25. By 2022, the education sector was in crisis, with a lack of clarity in the transition to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), a shortage of 110,000 teachers, and 23 out of 40 public universities were technically bankrupt and at risk of closure. Among those facing severe challenges were large institutions such as the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, Moi University, Egerton University, Maseno University and Masinde Muliro University. 

26. To address the issues in our education sector, we have already hired 56,000 teachers and are in the process of recruiting another 20,000 by January 2025. We have also ensured the seamless transition of learners from Primary to Junior Secondary School, and domiciled Grades 7, 8 and 9 in primary schools, optimising the use of existing infrastructure, ensuring the safety of young learners and protecting parents from the high costs associated with boarding schools.

27. Recognising the financial challenges faced by universities and TVETs, we introduced a new student-centred Higher Education Funding Model. This model gives priority to the most vulnerable students, offering them up to 95% government support, while also pulling our universities back from the brink of collapse. The remaining challenges for a few universities like Moi University are related to internal administrative and governance issues, which are being addressed.

28. To further enhance access to higher education, we launched the Open University of Kenya, paving the way for more students to achieve their academic goals. The institution’s first cohort of students is scheduled to graduate next week on 29th November 2024.

Honourable Members,

29. Universal Health Coverage is a cornerstone of our transformation agenda and a matter that touches every Kenyan family. Despite health being a devolved function, we acknowledge the immense financial burden that comes with it. Counties have struggled with shortages of medicine, equipment and staff, hindering service delivery and leaving countless Kenyans with sub-optimal access to healthcare. It would have been easy for me to step back and leave this responsibility to counties alone, but that would have been a disservice to Kenyans and a betrayal of our Constitution.

30. Instead of engaging in debates about healthcare being devolved, I have chosen the harder but necessary path of addressing these challenges head-on. Health delivery is not just about fulfilling a constitutional mandate, it is about ensuring that healthcare is not a privilege for the few who can afford it and pipe dream for many who cannot. For years, NHIF was saddled with debts and inefficiencies, and healthcare was being severely and negatively impacted.

31. For far too long, too many households have lived on the edge, just one illness away from financial catastrophe. Our healthcare system has historically neglected the poor and vulnerable, leaving them without any options, while private-sector medical coverage remained out of reach for the majority. This is precisely what we will correct through the provision of universal healthcare. This agenda is not just a promise; it is a bold commitment to deliver health through transformative financing reforms, making healthcare accessible and affordable, digitising healthcare services to enhance efficiency, eliminate fraud and stop corruption, and empower a skilled and motivated health workforce.

32. To honour our commitment to Universal Health Coverage, I signed into law four groundbreaking legislation on 19th October 2023 passed by this August House: The Social Health Insurance Act replaced the outdated National Health Insurance Fund and established the Social Health Authority (SHA), which oversees three essential funds. This modern framework ensures that every Kenyan, especially the most vulnerable, can access quality healthcare services when they need them most.

33. The shift from the National Health Insurance Fund model to Taifa Care is fundamental and radical in both scale and character. NHIF served a few salaried Kenyans and those who could pay, but Taifa Care covers every Kenyan regardless of their employment status. Secondly, despite serving a limited class of citizens, NHIF nevertheless accumulated billions of shillings of debt because of misalignment between contributions and the actual cost of healthcare. Taifa Care has undertaken an accurate costing of all healthcare-related goods and services, in order to provide timely, effective and efficient service to everyone. Additionally, the NHIF had a waiting period, lasting between registration and eligibility for services. Under Taifa Care, citizens are eligible for all services upon registration. I urge every Kenyan to take the most important step in securing dependable healthcare for themselves and their families: register now or at the earliest opportunity.

34. For the first time in our nation’s history, free primary healthcare is increasingly becoming available at dispensaries, health centres and hospitals. Ambulance and emergency services are also slowly but surely being made available at no fee. Under Taifa Care, we have introduced a comprehensive benefits package that brings specialised care, such as cardiothoracic surgery, within reach for many Kenyans, without the burden of financial strain. Through the Digital Health Act, we are revolutionising healthcare delivery. Every step of the process from registration, and eligibility checks, to claims is now digitised. By eliminating unnecessary human interaction, we are tackling corruption, reducing inefficiencies and ensuring that resources are used where they are needed most. As a result, SHA will pay all October claims in full, by next week.

35. To date, over 15 million Kenyans have enrolled in Taifa Care and more than 60% of employers have successfully transitioned into its framework. The newly established Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) empowers citizens to contribute towards accessing a broad range of healthcare benefits. This represents a seismic shift from the old, reactive healthcare model to a forward-looking system that prioritises prevention and preparedness. Once the transition from NHIF is complete and SHIF becomes fully operational, Kenya will have a healthcare system that guarantees dignity, peace of mind and equitable access for every citizen for the very first time in our 60 years of independence.

Honourable Members,

36. We have launched an ambitious healthcare programme, one that Kenya has always needed and deserved. Like any major transition, there are challenges, but we are fully committed to making the system work. As we roll out this programme, we are listening to citizen voices and collaborating with counties to deliver better healthcare services. Through the Facility Improvement Fund (FIF), we will ensure that hospitals are equipped with the tools they need: Medicine, equipment and other resources necessary to provide quality care while involving citizens in decision-making at every facility.

37. We are now doing the heavy lifting: Clearing decade-old debts, ensuring access to medicine and equipment, and stabilising a system that had failed too many, for too long. We are building a healthcare system that serves every citizen with equity and dignity.

38. Over the past month, we have disbursed KSh5 billion to settle historical debts owed to public, private and faith-based medical facilities, some of which have been pending for over a decade, and another KSh 3.7 billion will be disbursed tomorrow.

Honourable Members,

39. There is a compelling body of data projecting that not only is the future of all humanity urban but also that Africa has the fastest rate of urbanisation. Kenya is no exception and, in fact, many of our counties are urbanising rapidly. Dear friends, we have a date with an urban future, and the only choice we have is what this urban future will look like: Will it be characterised by decent, dignified, safe and livable neighbourhoods and communities, or will it be haphazard, unsanitary and unsafe slum dwellings? This is the fundamental question that our affordable housing plan seeks to answer.

40. Kenya has a serious housing deficit, and the cost of housing is beyond the reach of the majority, while the social and economic effects of this shortage are far-reaching. Rent as a component of the cost of living is unsustainable. People are forced to choose between enduring long, punishing commutes to far-away homes, or taking up less desirable spaces within reach.

41. Supplying the number of units required to fill the affordable housing gap requires us to undertake construction throughout the country at a rate of 200,000 new units every year, for 10 years. Many people have asked why they should be interested in an affordable housing project in rural areas. If you look around, you will witness the signs of our urban future; land sizes are becoming smaller, as the population grows in rural agricultural areas.

To protect agriculture and food security from the effects of uncontrolled land fragmentation, urbanisation must be planned and controlled, and the affordable housing programme is therefore a vital component of the integrated land use planning and development programme that we are implementing throughout the country, in every county.

42. Each unit drives demand for different types of labour, professional services and materials, bringing labourers, masons and bricklayers, artisans, electricians and carpenters, as well as architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, lawyers and real estate economists. Affordable housing is also a major opportunity for manufacturers, developers and other industries. In other words, the economic boost from the housing pillar of our Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda is significant and undeniably much needed. As we speak, affordable housing now directly accounts for 164,000 new jobs created over the past year.

43. Honorable members, today marks a significant milestone in our journey towards providing decent and affordable housing for all. After two years of hard work under the affordable housing program, I am proud to announce the launch of the sale of 4,888 housing units now in completion, across 21 social housing projects. These units, comprising studios, one-bedroom, two bedroom, and three-bedroom homes, are tailored to meet the needs of our people, offering 1041 social housing units, 2133 affordable housing units, and 1714 affordable middle-class housing units in 24 counties. I invite every Kenyan citizen above the age of 18 to join this historic journey towards homeownership. Guided by our principle of fairness - one ID, one house - every eligible Kenyan is encouraged to express interest, visit these developments, view the show houses, and engage with our on-site staff, who are ready to assist. 

The allocation process will be transparent and equitable, ensuring that every qualified applicant has an equal opportunity to own a home.

Honourable Members,

44. As part of the government’s endeavour to build a nation grounded in inter-generational equity, opportunity and empowerment for all Kenyans, we have made significant strides in implementing another key pillar of our manifesto: Labour migration. This initiative seeks to harness Kenya’s abundant human capital by creating meaningful job opportunities abroad, empowering our citizens and positioning Kenyan talent on the global stage.

45. Since July 2023, we have successfully facilitated employment for 105,367 Kenyans across multiple countries in a wide range of jobs. These opportunities span professional, skilled and unskilled sectors, including positions for nurses, teachers, and chefs. The National Employment Authority (NEA), the lead agency driving our ambitious initiative to create job opportunities for qualified Kenyans locally and internationally, currently has a roll of over 560,000 job openings worldwide.

46. Our focus extends beyond destinations such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Bahrain, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. We are expanding our reach by actively negotiating bilateral labour agreements with new potential markets, including Russia, Poland and Jordan. These efforts are driven by our commitment to open up new pathways for employment, ensuring that Kenyans are well-represented in the global workforce.

47. In the digital economy, we are expanding last-mile fibre-optic connectivity using the extensive Kenya Power transmission lines network to the most remote and underserved areas of our country and making significant strides to establish digital and ICT hubs. This has created a foundation for digital transformation, enabling IT economy workers, young digital creators and entrepreneurs to access a wealth of opportunities locally and globally. By bridging the digital divide, we are empowering our youth to compete on an equal footing in the global marketplace and showcasing Kenya’s ingenuity and innovation. I congratulate members of the two houses for being part of this grand digital jobs plan.

48. We have also prioritised the empowerment of individuals within the informal economy by unlocking their potential through targeted investments. These include accessible loans, capacity-building programmes and regulatory reforms designed to ease growth. A notable achievement is the partnership with the banking industry, which has extended an additional KSh150 billion in loans to micro, small, and medium enterprises, complementing the government’s efforts to nurture this vital sector.

49. On financial inclusion, we have made remarkable progress through the Hustler Fund. To date, this innovative initiative has disbursed KSh 60 billion benefiting 24.6 million Kenyans and mobilised over Ksh 3.3 billion in savings. The fund maintains a repeat customer base of 8.5 million beneficiaries with a repayment rate of 79%.

50. To mark the Fund’s second anniversary, we have taken a bold step by launching a third product specifically tailored to the Small and Medium Enterprises sector. This new initiative will initially target 2 million beneficiaries who have demonstrated a strong credit history with the Fund. By doing so, we aim to create a pathway for these entrepreneurs to transition into the formal banking system, thereby deepening financial inclusion and strengthening the SME sector. This milestone underscores our commitment to building a financially inclusive and economically resilient nation.

51. The progress we have made has been possible only because the people of Kenya have been courageous, strong, determined and patriotic. It has also been enabled by a number of early interventions under the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda and, at the same time, created space for us to implement the agenda in full.

52. As we proceed with implementation, we expect to quickly capitalise on the gains we have secured and invest resources in the economy, with emphasis on the strategic pillars of our plan. As more projects get off the ground, more people get hired, liquidity levels improve and more money ends up in people's pockets.

Honourable Members,

53. We are a democracy. Democracy is a founding principle and defining value of our nation. Democracy is a hard-won, nonnegotiable right, and guarantees freedom that we are proud of, and must always defend. Our national democratic culture expresses itself energetically through robust discourse, boldly speaking truth to power and holding leadership to account. It is a tradition of fearless expression and vigorous public participation. This is who we are, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

54. We understand, therefore, that protests are always legitimate and permitted by the Constitution - protests conducted by citizens who are peaceful and unarmed. Assemblies, demonstrations and picketing to advance constitutionalism, increase accountability and defend the rule of law are constitutional imperatives. Conversely, mobilisation in pursuit of criminal agendas, chaos and anarchic schemes is explicitly forbidden because we all have a duty to defend our republic, our Constitution and the rights of all people. The government, in particular, must remain vigilant at all times against modern threats to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our nation as well as public order, peace and security.

55. In the digital era characterised by transformative innovations, including artificial intelligence, it has never been easier to inform, educate and entertain citizens. At the same time, it has never been easier to misinform, mislead, disinform, incite and alarm the public. Criminals and subversive elements who infiltrate and hijack peaceful protests are a threat both to legitimate protesters and to the public. Incidences of violent criminality in the name of protest threaten the safety of innocent people, public assets, private property and the social order.

56. The tension here is stark: We have a democracy which we are proud of, must defend and should deepen by all means. At the same time, we have citizens whose lives and rights we must protect and a nation whose security, stability and prosperity we must safeguard. The task at hand is complicated if citizens and State agencies dilute the distinction between the lawful and the criminal, the just and unjust, thereby making it difficult to tell protesters and security officers from bandits, gangsters and criminals.

57. It is only by following the law that we are able to achieve our aims and apportion accountability properly. It should not be possible for robbers and looters to escape accountability by claiming that they were taking part in protests. Likewise, it should not be possible for security officers to wound, maim or even kill innocent people and claim that they were engaging violent criminals. We all have a duty to make the necessary distinctions and do so clearly to protect democratic expression and guarantee public safety and security.

58. I must now confront an issue of widespread concern regarding the relationship between citizens and the security services in the context of immense threats and intense political dynamism. Numerous allegations have been made concerning disappearances of people during protests. A number of these cases have been resolved, while others have been uncovered as fake news, undermining efforts to find genuine cases of missing persons. A good number of alleged disappearances have also turned out to be arrests made by police officers, and in such cases, the suspects have been duly arraigned in court.

59. I must, however, make it very clear that there is no attempt to justify or excuse illegal arrests: such would be serious threats to the life and liberty of citizens. I condemn any excessive or extrajudicial action which puts the life and liberty of any person at risk, including disappearances and threats to life.

60. I urge all Kenyans with information about such cases to forward the information to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and to IPOA, where they suspect members of the police service to be implicated. I am aware that many of the cases that have been raised are being handled by the Independent Police Oversight Authority, an important step in accountability and justice.

61. Many citizens, as well as various organisations representing and championing women’s rights and welfare, have expressed concern about gender-based violence and the increasing cases of killings of female victims by male criminals motivated by primitive expressions of gender-based brutality and impunity. Left unaddressed, these incidents will cause the women of our nation to feel increasingly unsafe, even in their own homes. This is both tragic and unacceptable. It also complicates, in disturbing ways, the struggle by Kenyan women for inclusion, equality, dignity, social justice, human rights, equity and protection as a historically marginalised segment of our society.

62. I am aware that most of the cases of murder of women by men have been investigated and prosecuted, and it is my hope that, in due course, those found culpable will face the full force of the law.

63. It is time for each of us - political leaders, public officers, religious leaders, traditional institutions and family members - to do our part in raising boys into morally upright men who will never need to affirm their masculinity at the expense of women but instead contribute to making our society just, safe, equal and inclusive. I appreciate women leaders who have taken the time to engage me and propose solutions to address this issue. I have held discussions with other leaders in government and tasked the Deputy President to reach out and facilitate collaborative, broad-based and multi-sectoral deliberations and recommend effective and radically affirmative actions within 6 months.

64. This Parliament will recall that early in my tenure, I engaged the leadership of both Houses with recommendations on a working formula to actualise meaningful inclusion of women in national leadership. We must seriously question the drivers and motives of resistance and reluctance to take the next step in actualising the two-third gender rule.

We must call out those who continue to sabotage this right of women to contribute to the governance of our nation. Women are not second-class citizens; they deserve equal representation at all levels. 

Honourable Members,

65. Without a doubt, every shilling of national revenues matters and must be used to deliver maximum value to Kenyans. Wastage, corruption and abuse of office are grave risks to national transformation and a direct threat to the well-being of the people. I have given my commitment to serve as a responsible steward of public resources. To begin with, I have championed the automation and digitisation of government services and revenue collection to promote transparency, seal loopholes that lead to revenue losses, enhance accountability, and eliminate opportunities for corruption, therefore improving efficiency, transparency and integrity.

66. I am delighted to report on the dramatic improvements we have recorded by automating and digitising our revenue collection and service delivery through e-Citizen. We have so far digitised 20,855 government services, up from 350 in 2022, representing an increase of almost 6000% while significantly improving revenue collection. Take the case of the Kenya Wildlife Service, whose total revenue for the year ending June 30th 2023, was KSh 5.3B; but after implementing a digital revenue collection system, the revenue grew to Ksh 7.6B in the year ending June 30 2024, representing a 43% increase. This initiative alone has firmly put KWS back on the path to self-sufficiency, freeing the corporation from reliance on exchequer support. I commend the team at KWS, as well as all other government institutions that have leveraged technology to improve revenue collection.

Under the Digital Health Act, we are determined to enhance the efficiency and transparency provided by technology in the provision of healthcare services to eliminate fraud and fake claims. Tax revenue mobilisation by the Kenya Revenue Authority, starting with its customs revenue system, is equally being worked on to ensure that revenue leaks are eliminated.

67. Because corruption is a serious risk to social justice, sustainable development, national security, and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, I am harnessing our working relationship with other arms of government to encourage the Judiciary and Parliament to enhance integrity and efficiency by adopting digitisation and automation. As I do so, I must caution that all these measures will only achieve intended results if, and only if, the institutions charged with combating corruption and promoting efficiency and integrity stop hiding behind the transparent screen of independence and rise up to meet the people's expectations on matters integrity.

68. It cannot be the case that the director of public prosecutions keeps dropping cases because, somehow, they are unable to produce witnesses. It also cannot be the case that corruption suspects rush to court to obtain anticipatory bail, which shields them from due process and enables them to compromise investigations. There is also no reason for corruption cases to drag on in our courts for years when the same courts are able to determine election petitions and related disputes within six months.

69. It is also unacceptable for the Houses of Parliament to deny the nation a much-needed instrument in the war on corruption by continuing to sabotage the passage of the Conflict of Interest Bill. I implore you, Honourable members, to stop dragging your feet on this bill unless, my friends, there is a conflict of interest in the passing of the conflict of interest legislation. Similarly, the National Treasury has been dragging its feet in the implementation of an e-procurement system for nearly 10 years. Today, I direct the National Treasury to roll out the procurement system by the end of the first quarter of 2025 and ensure that, going forward, only procurement undertaken through this system is sanctioned. Of the many difficult assignments I have undertaken, this fight against corruption is one I now take on with resolve going forward. Let this serve as notice to all. Independent institutions charged with this responsibility must up their game, pull up their socks and match up to the expectations of the people of Kenya.

Honourable Members,

70. I have stated in the past, and I reiterate today, that in the face of undisputed evidence or credible information on corruption, I will not hesitate to take decisive action. Accordingly, I now direct - in furtherance of the principles enshrined in Article 10 of the Constitution on transparency and accountability, and based on new information provided by our investigative agencies and partner nations - that the procuring agencies within the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum immediately cancel the ongoing procurement process for the JKIA Expansion Public Private Partnership transaction, as well as the recently concluded KETRACO transmission line Public Private Partnership contract, and immediately commence the process of onboarding alternative partners.

Honourable Members,

71. The work of taking our nation forward is our collective responsibility as citizens. For this reason, we value the contributions of all, whether they come in the form of support or encouragement, suggestion or proposal, criticism or protest. I believe that the most powerful component of leadership is listening and learning. Therefore, I engage with and listen to all citizens, their elected leaders, public officers and administrators, teachers and other professionals, learners and the youth, farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, traders, craftsmen, artisans, nurses, doctors, community health promoters and workers of all types in every sector. I listen, too, to religious leaders, civil society, industrialists, entrepreneurs and professionals: Their contributions and everyone else’s has my full attention and commitment to respond through positive and affirmative actions that take the national transformation endeavour forward.

72. I commit to continue listening and acting, to engage, debate and deliberate with you, and to take your input into consideration in serving you. By design, the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda is defined by its capacity to elicit feedback in the course of implementation and incorporate the same in making improvements and further progress. With every input from stakeholders, our ability to drive progress increases. By listening to you, I am able to serve you better.

73. As we take part in this necessary discourse, I want to make one thing clear: I am fully invested in the success of the strategies, policies, programmes and projects under the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda. For this reason, I am committed to doing all it takes and working with every willing Kenyan until we succeed because failure is not an option.

74. Given the challenges our nation has faced, it has become clear that overcoming these obstacles requires the collective energy, wisdom, ideas and goodwill of Kenyans of all political and cultural persuasions, religious beliefs, and walks of life. The wisdom of entrenching national unity and inclusivity as a national value in our constitution is clearly evident: Our diversity is the source of our power, and this moment in the history of our nation calls for radical collaboration to transcend our challenges. We do not have the luxury of magnifying our differences; it is time for all of us to pull together and usher the nation into the future of our dreams. With this in mind, I initiated extensive consultations with leaders from across all divides, public and private. Through these engagements, we resolved to re-imagine unity and inclusivity and harness the full potential of our nation through bipartisanship, which culminated in the formation of the broad-based Cabinet.

76. The imperative to accommodate the contributions of leadership across the aisle inspired us to constitute the broad-based government, a partnership based on shared purpose and premised on a commitment to bring our national values into action to turbocharge the implementation of our transformation agenda.

77. Being a farmer myself, transformation is like farming. A lot of resources are invested into ploughing the land and planting the seed, after which there is nothing to see for all the work except stretches of bare earth. Impatience might lead to anxiety and lamentation of the wasted effort in seed buried in the earth. However, after a brief wait, seedlings sprout, requiring close attention, weeding, and patient tending until the crop is ready for harvest. So is economic transformation. It requires hard work, investment of resources, patience and faith. We have planted the seed, and all over the field, it is beginning to sprout.

78. While admittedly, there remains much to fulfil, our collective hope to deliver the national economic transformation that this nation deserves is on course. I am proud to declare that we have also made undeniable progress in building on the strong foundation laid in previous years and getting the national development project off the ground.

Honourable Members,

79. From the reports that I have the honour to table for your consideration and debate, there is reason to be optimistic that our forward march is unstoppable and that our capacity and commitment to live and work by our national values and principles of governance are stronger than ever before.

80. Our nation is a proud member of the international community, making its contributions to global progress boldly and with great determination. We stand collectively facing the dawn with confidence that our expectation of bright daylight is not in vain.

In summary, Honourable Speakers and fellow citizens, the state of our nation is resilient.

81. And now, Honorable Speakers, it is my pleasure to submit to Parliament the following three reports as required by the

Constitution:

I.Report on All Measures Taken and Progress Achieved in the Realization of National Values;

II.Report on Progress made in fulfilling the International Obligations of the Republic and

III.Report on The State of Security.

Now, therefore, I hand over the Reports to the Speaker of the Senate and to the Speaker of the National Assembly.

According to Dena, Uhuru's office has not been furnished by the state neither were new cars purchased to serve the former President, contrary to sentiments made by government officials that include Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura and State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed.

Read Kanze Dena's full speech below:

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of the press and thank you for honoring our invite.

We invited you here today to give a formal response on an issue that was addressed by the Government Spokesperson Mr. Isaac Mwaura on the 31st of May 20224. That is the Benefits of the 3rd Retired President H. E Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta. I will respond to the matters he alluded to and then I will state the position of the Office of the 3rd Retired President. 

I believe you all have received a press pack. It contains documents that will serve as evidence of the matters I will address today, as well as an excerpt of the Government Spokesperson’s statement addressing the issue at hand. At the end of my statement, I will welcome questions. 

Kanze Dena addressing the media on June 10, 2024. /OFFICE OF THE 4TH PRESIDENT

Paragraph 12 of Mr. Mwaura’s statement talks about the Lump sum payment of Ksh48 million paid to the former President as gratuity, personal monthly allowances, and medical cover. I can confirm that H. E did receive his gratuity in full and is receiving his monthly allowances. These monies are paid by the Pension Fund that is domiciled in the Treasury.  I would like to emphasize that every civil servant on contract once they complete service they are given a gratuity. 

The former Deputy President now the 5th President of the Republic of Kenya, for his service as a deputy President during the last regime. Let me also clarify the exemption from tax is provided for by the law. I make this special to indicate that it is not a favour as insinuated by the highlight on the statement ‘exempted from tax’.

On the issue of the retired President enjoying a fully furnished and maintained office space of his choice, we all know the number of times State House has made it clear that the only office available and are willing to maintain is the one in Nyari that was used by the late President Mwai Kibaki. 

State House spokesperson made it very clear during a question and answer session at a press briefing on President Ruto’s visit to the United States of America, held 2 weeks ago. It did catch us by surprise when Mr. Mwaura confidently stated that an office fully furnished by the government of the former president’s choice had been provided. 

On the issue of vehicles given. I can confirm that the former President was given 2 Toyota Land Cruisers, 1 Mercedes Benz, 1 Subaru Forester and 1 Range Rover, not 2 as alluded to by the Government spokesperson. On the number of fuel cards given it is true that each of the vehicles has a fuel card. However, these cards have not been operational as they were blocked by State House in March 2023 to date.

The 3 fuel cards given to Mama Ngina and the 3 Range Rovers in her custody were allocated to her by the late President Daniel Arap Moi and the late Mwai Kibaki.  No facilitation has been accorded towards repairs and maintenance of all vehicles under the office of the former President.

We are aware that an incomplete requisition form has been circulated by State House as evidence of facilitation towards repairs and maintenance.  The forms are in your press packs and you will see that no action was taken.

One of them has the wording approved and a signature. That signature ladies and gentlemen belongs to the A.I.E holder in the office of the 4th President, Mr. Kinuthia Mbugua. Despite clarifying that the document was not accurate the journalists still went ahead and used the document as evidence of services rendered. 

As I finalize on the issues raised in the statement, on the issue of staff, the Spokesperson correctly stated that the number of staff the retired President is entitled to is 34.  The list provided however only accounts for 32 staff members.

What they did not capture is the data of 2 staff who are still waiting for the renewal of their contracts. That is the Administrator Mr. George Kariuki and Mrs Kanze Dena Mararo who is the Senior Director of Communication. We have provided that list as well in the press pack.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me at this juncture elaborate on the situation in the Office of the 3rd Retired President of the Republic of Kenya.

1. On the issue of the office. A formal letter was written to State House requesting a valuation of the office that was identified by President Kenyatta as suitable for him to carry out his duties. However, the office did not receive a response on the issue for State House. However, the communication that came through was via text message by the then-in-charge of the Retired President's Office Mr. John Makumi. The communication indicated the rent estimates for the property in question. That is the office selected by the former President.  That communication is in the pack for your perusal.

International Trips

To date, the office still awaits engagement on the issue of the office. Occasioned by the fact that H.E President Kenyatta was appointed by the East African Community Heads of State as the Facilitator during the 22nd Ordinary Meeting of East Africa Heads of State Summit held on 22nd July 2022, in Arusha, Tanzania. It was paramount that an office needed to be established, to enable him to carry out his mandate. With no response from statehouse and a lack of commitment to finalize on the issue of space. H.E. facilitated the office space and fully furnished and equipped it from his pocket. To date, the office runs on his goodwill. 

Cars

2. The Vehicles quoted by the spokesperson and confirmed by me, were allocated to the retired President to ease transition as he waited for the enactment of the Retired Benefits Act. He mentioned 12 cars among these are the 3 Range Rovers that belong to Mama Ngina Kenyatta. So in essence what is available at the former President’s disposal is 9 vehicles which constitute those for his personal use, and security. A conversation had begun in the early months after the transition led by Mr. Makumi and in your pack you will find a letter indicating how the vehicles President Kenyatta is entitled to would be purchased down to the selection of the color. Then the conversation hit a deep and froze. To date, no discussions have taken place concerning the issue. 

3. The Act stipulates that the former President is entitled to 4 international trips. Since retirement to date only 2 such trips have been honored. From the Press, we did get to know that the issue is the size of the delegation a matter that was communicated verbally. If the issue was truly the size of the delegation, why not then cater for the 10 pax as advised by Foreign Affairs? Then there was the issue of seeking approval on which trips to undertake. This was communicated by Mr. Makumi that the former President could only submit requests for international trips and wait to be cleared on which trips He could embark on. It begs the question was the decision not to facilitate the former President because of his entourage or that State House did not deem it fit for him to undertake those trips? 

Budget Allocation

4. On to the main issue. Budget allocation. In the year 2022/2023 parliament budget allocation to this office was Ksh655 million. To date, the office can only confirm the absorption of Ksh28 million spread across the payment of an allowance for local travel and domestic travel as well as the facilitation of the 2 trips that have been honoured so far. This is approximately 4.4% of the total budget. This is minus payment of salaries and medical insurance. 

5. The year 2023/2024 which ends in a few weeks the budget allocation to this office was Ksh503 million shillings. The year is ending without the office having any access to this allocation. What we can confirm is that salaries have been paid as well as medical insurance. 

6. The quagmire that the office is in is that the office cannot substantiate what has been used and where the monies have been used since several requests and attempts to get budget returns from the accounting officer have fallen on deaf ears. This has forced the Retired President to run the office from his pocket, paying for all the bills the office incurs.

7. The other issue is that State House chooses a verbal form of communication on official issues or chooses not to respond to correspondence generated by this office. This includes the pending renewal of contracts of 2 members of staff.  In your pack, you will come across documents that clearly present the situation that the office finds.  We register a lack of commitment from the Kenya Kwanza government in its execution of the Presidential Benefits Act. 

8.  In conclusion, while the picture painted by the Government Spokesperson is the ideal situation as stipulated in the Presidential Benefits Act, it saddens me to inform Kenyans that unfortunately, the Picture Painted by the spokesperson does not exist.  We worry that the precedence that has been set by the Kenya Kwanza government opens up a Pandora’s box that will leave a retired Head of State at the mercy of the government of the day.

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS

Read his full speech below:

1. It is a great honour for me to join you here at this stadium named to honour the memory of one of Kenya's finest sons, illustrious freedom fighters and exemplary leader, Masinde Muliro, and to lead Kenya in celebrating the 61st Madaraka Day. On this anniversary, we mark the emphatic success of our freedom struggle, the triumph of the many gallant men and women who made immense sacrifices for the cause of freedom and justice, and the vindication of the principles and values which inspired the people of Kenya to stand as one, resist oppression, and unite to claim their sovereignty, and to win the freedom to build a nation in accordance with their aspirations.

2. The reason for marking this day is, principally, that the aspirations which motivated our heroes over six decades ago are not only alive today, but they are also the bright flame that sets our souls and minds alight with ambition and urgency and illuminates the path for each one of us to pursue the progress and prosperity of our households, families, and nation.

3. Madaraka, our self-governing mandate, is not an accident in our history. Rather, it is the affirmation of the timeless values embraced and articulated by our ancestors in their resistance to colonial invasion and the culmination of the vision and passion of the succeeding generation which bravely took on a mighty empire and won.

4. Today, we are no longer at the starting blocks of the race to progress; we have come a long way. In the course of our journey, we have made Kenya a strong State anchored by a people united by fierce patriotism, love for one another, a shared vision of progress, and a public service with a high capacity to coordinate development and security.

Additionally, our country is a thriving, competitive and diversified economy well into its transformational take-off, and a democracy which protects freedom, drives democracy, and places the people of Kenya at the front and centre, as the authors and beneficiaries of this nation's affairs.

5. Therefore, every person in this country has the freedom and opportunity to make their contribution by giving their best in what they do. This is the source of our glory. Madaraka recognises that Kenya's freedom was won by resolute farmers and determined workers on their shambas, and their brave sons and daughters in the forests, cities, factories, and plantations.

President William Ruto greets Kenyans at the Masinde Muliro Stadium during the 61st Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1, 2024. /PCS

6. Madaraka reminds us not to look down upon the labours of others, regardless of their occupations, because work makes a great people and a strong nation. Rather, Madaraka encourages us to do whatever we must to honour and support everyone who works because that is the best way of achieving prosperity and security. Madaraka Day celebrates the birth of a nation out of the totality of the labours of millions of its people.

7. Today is the day to remember that all work is important, every hustle matters and that nation-building is a bottom-up affair. Let no one look down upon the life or livelihood of another and let no one be made to feel despised because of their work. Our economy depends on every form of service and labour.

8. From the milling of sugarcane, millet and sorghum to the ginning of cotton and the roasting of coffee beans in this county, our agriculture sector continues to fire the powerful engine of economic transformation to propel this great nation into a food-secure, internationally competitive trading giant that can hold its own in the East African Community and leverage other trading frameworks such as COMESA, African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and African Continental Free Trade Area (AcFTA) with ease. Agriculture remains sufficiently attractive enough to sustain investment in every node of the food system.

9. Agriculture’s direct contribution to our GDP is 25%, while its indirect support to other economic pillars such as manufacturing boosts the GDP by a further 27%. Agriculture also employs, directly or otherwise, an estimated 40% of our population.

10. To build a robust and thriving economy, enhance social inclusion and improve environmental conservation in this critical sector, the government has deployed an agriculture-led, whole-of-society approach in the form of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, of which agriculture is a critical strategic pillar.

11. Under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, we will reduce hunger, fight poverty, and improve the health outcomes of Kenyans. I am particularly delighted that agriculture and food security are the chosen theme of this year’s celebrations.

12. We appreciate the determination of small-scale farmers, who are the backbone of Kenya’s agricultural sector, in their efforts to produce sufficient and varied food to meet their nutritional, health and other daily needs. Against many odds, our farmers have defied systemic and structural constraints and limitations to make a contribution to household and national food security requirements, and to propel the economy. We understand, cherish, and value them.

13. Consequently, we have partnered effectively with farmers and other food system value chain actors such as input suppliers, producers, processors, and support service providers to transform their productivity beyond subsistence and enhance the country’s food security.

This has been made possible through interventions in key value chains like maize, livestock, tea, coffee, edible oils, cashew nuts, pyrethrum, flowers, avocado, and macadamia nuts. We now have the potential to become competitive regionally and globally by utilizing the unique capacity of cooperatives to mobilize production on scale through the provision of government-supported agricultural extension services.

14. The sugar industry is a highly strategic sub-sector, whose value chains have been the mainstay of the local economies of our sugar belt, and a generator of much-needed jobs. For this reason, we are firmly committed to ensuring that the sugar industry returns maximum value to all actors in its value chains, beginning with the initial and foundational entrepreneur: The cane grower. To accomplish this, we have implemented a number of radical measures:

We have written off Ksh 110 billion worth of sugar factories’ debts accumulated over 40 years. A new leasing model that will guarantee prompt payment for cane deliveries by farmers, timely wages for factory workers and bonuses to sugar cane farmers every end of the year, like other crops. I call upon relevant agencies to accelerate the review process and to incorporate proceeds from by-products.

As part of my commitment to invest KSh2 billion into sugarcane development through State-owned mills, after leasing is completed, I am proud to announce that the government has approved the first tranche of KSh600 million for seed cane development, and the National Treasury shall shortly release these funds.

15. Recently, smallholder tea farmers exported KETEPA’s value-added teas to West Africa and China. The government has also increased farm-to-table food safety through frameworks such as the Food Safety Policy, and a Food Safety Coordination Bill.

16. To enhance our capacity to coordinate agricultural production and deliver services to the sector more efficiently, we are developing and integrating a farmers’ and agripreneurs database into the Kenya Integrated Agriculture Information System. As we speak, the database already has 6.4 million registered farmers, and our aim is to serve them better by improving access, sharing and utilization of information in the agricultural sector.

Aerial view of the words 'Lishe Bora' at the Masinde Muliro Stadium during the 61st Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1, 2024. /PCS

17. The power of this database is beyond doubt. In recent months, farmers have been able to access subsidized fertilizer from the Fertilizer Subsidy Programme, as well as animal feed and certified seeds more easily and affordably. Since we began to distribute subsidized fertilizer last year, 15 million 50kg bags of crop- and soil-specific fertilizers have been distributed.

18. Our strategic interventions have led to a marked increase in value addition initiatives. Measures are underway to boost coffee productivity from 2kg to 10kg per tree and from 50,000 metric tons to 102,000 metric tons a year by 2027. Under the coffee sector reforms that we initiated, a KSh4 billion coffee cherry fund was established, Ksh 2 billion of which has been paid, with the balance allocated for payment in the 2024/2025 financial year. This will ensure farmers get good returns for their investments. We are also writing off Khs 6.9 billion debt owed by coffee cooperatives.

19. In the edible oils value chain, the government's plan involves boosting the production of sunflower, palm oil and canola by working with counties. In 2023, 70 tonnes of sunflower seeds were purchased, with 40 tonnes distributed to farmers.

Another 40 tonnes of seed have been allocated to the Agricultural Development Corporation for seed multiplication. Additionally, the government, through the Agriculture and Food Authority, has procured and distributed 500 metric tonnes of seeds, worth KSh241 million, to farmers in 24 counties. In the 2024/2025 financial year, KSh414 million has been budgeted for this programme under the National Edibles Oils Promotion Project.

20. We are on course with our plan to increase cotton production from 2,500 bales in 2022 to 107,000 bales by 2025 and modernise ginneries. The aim is to expand cotton farming from 9,300 acres in 2022 to 41,000 acres in 2023, distributing 15,700kg of seeds to farmers in Busia and another 20,000kg to farmers in Meru, Makueni, Kitui and Machakos. Subsidised fertiliser will be provided through the tried and tested e-voucher system.

21. Additionally, 5,000 acres have been harvested in Lamu. The government has also worked with stakeholders to negotiate a price increase for farmers from KSh54 a kilo to KSh72. In the 2024/25 financial year, KSh150 million has been allocated for the Cotton Industry Revitalisation.

22. We have all witnessed the negative effects of climate change, most notably through extreme climatic phenomena. Last year, a long, bitter drought ended, giving way to a spell of vicious storms and devastating floods. It is now clear to us all that climate change presents serious challenges to food security and economic recovery.

23. The flooding, mudslides, and landslides that the country has experienced in the past six months may have slowed us a little. However, the effects of global warming have not killed our resolve to become food secure and grow economically.

Instead, climate-related risks and hazards have strengthened our determination to increase investment in climate action to build resilience against the disruptive forces of nature.

24. The government will continue to champion afforestation and the restoration of degraded landscapes and mobilize Kenyans to plant trees throughout the Republic to restore the environment and biodiversity. We encourage increased use of climate-smart technologies such as mobile grain driers, mobile soil assessment laboratories and irrigation.

25. We have made progress towards fulfilling our commitment to build 100 dams and 1,000 small dams in different parts of the country, to facilitate sustainable water use and increase irrigated land by 500,000 acres by 2026. The government is in discussions with the African Development Bank and other multilateral institutions to implement this program.

26. To control livestock diseases and pests, the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI) produced 35 million doses of assorted livestock vaccines in 2023.

27. To bring young people into farming, we have revitalized the 4K and Young Farmers clubs to interest and introduce children to agriculture. This administration has invested more than KSh2.2 billion in the promotion and financing of agribusiness entrepreneurship and supported initiatives such as incubation and project management.

28. On this 61st Madaraka Day, we join the people of Bungoma, Kenyans of goodwill, and friends of Kenya to acknowledge the contributions that food chain value actors have made towards the country’s food, nutritional and economic needs.

29. The food value chain actors who exhibited their goods and services in the run-up to this celebration include outstanding individuals, input suppliers and service providers, farmer producer organisations and co-operative societies other service providers in digitally-enabled agriculture, financial institutions supporting agri-business, research institutions, food processing entities, ambassadors of our development partners and insurance companies which have helped us strengthen the bottom over the past 12 months.

30. Kenya’s farmers have made remarkable progress in their efforts to make safe, nutritious, and sufficient food available to every citizen all year round. Since December 2023, through collective efforts and determination to increase household food stocks and improve food production, we have stabilised the country’s food security situation.

31. Arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) cover about 80% of Kenya and hold about 60% of our livestock population. Approximately 14.6 million Kenyans, who live in the ASALs, derive their livelihoods primarily from the livestock sector, which contributes 12% to the country’s GDP and employs 50% of the agricultural labour force. ASALs and the livestock sector are therefore critical to the nation's food security.

32. To actualise the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda in relation to the livestock sector, the government is focusing on commercialising and reforming the sector and improving livestock performance.

33. Our commercialisation agenda has given priority to leather, dairy and red meat value chains under projects like the Livestock Commercialisation Project, which supports 110,000 vulnerable youth- and women-led livestock-dependent households in 10 counties.

The project has developed solar-powered boreholes and water pans, rehabilitated several livestock markets and slaughterhouses, bred thousands of animals, provided agricultural equipment, pasture and fodder seeds, and trained the youth in animal health.

34. We are invested in developing our leather sub-sector to support competitive export industries supporting many thriving enterprises and households. In this connection, we have committed to implement strategies aimed at increasing incomes from KSh15 billion to KSh120 billion a year, multiplying job opportunities from 17,000 to 100,000 and raising annual footwear production from the current 8 million to 36 million pairs worth KSh72 billion by 2027.

35. It is essential to our strategy that we transform the leather value chain from one driven by exports of raw material and semi-processed products to a sophisticated industry manufacturing internationally competitive finished leather and leather products, thus mopping up to 3 million hides and 18 million skins produced each year. We are developing local capacity to handle hides and skins to provide quality raw material, tanning as well as the local manufacturing of finished leather goods such as shoes, bags, and belts.

36. Financially, our commitments are as follows: KSh400 million has been allocated to upgrade the Ewaso Ng’iro South Development Authority’s leather factory. KSh200 million of the funds will be used to acquire modern equipment, KSh100 million to build a footwear factory and KSh100 million to mop up hides and skins. Machinery for increasing processing capacity at the factory has already been procured and installed. To supply quality hides and skins, 703 flayers have been trained and subsidised flaying equipment provided to 680 slaughter points.

We will not be importing shoes from anywhere, we will be wearing our own shoes- President Ruto#ViralVideos#MadarakaDay pic.twitter.com/GWGnTW1JqX

— Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) June 1, 2024

37. At the same time, the construction of the Kenya Leather Industrial Park at Kenanie, Machakos County, is 85% complete. This park will have a common effluent treatment plant, 2 tanneries, 2 leather manufacturing plants and 100 acres for investors to set up leather factories by the end of the year.

38. In the dairy industry, we are committed to enhancing annual milk production from 5.1 billion litres to 10 billion litres by 2027, raising the market share of processed and formally marketed milk from 30% to 50%. This will lead to an increase in processed milk exports of 1 billion litres a year by 2027. The value of processed milk increased by 7.4% from 755 million litres in 2022 to 811 million litres in 2023. KSh600 million was released last week to New KCC to pay farmers promptly as part of the buildup of the milk revolving fund, which is estimated to be KSh3 billion.

39. The government's 6-point plan for the dairy industry covers, among other actions, installing milk coolers in dairy cooperatives, providing tax incentives, reducing trade barriers, and establishing a dairy stabilisation revolving fund to manage milk surpluses and deficits, and promoting higher nationwide milk consumption to improve health, especially the growth and development of young Kenyans.

40. The government's interventions in the red meat value chain are similarly robust and have led to an 8.6% increase in meat exports from 15,000 metric tonnes, valued at KSh 9 billion in 2022, to 16,000 metric tonnes valued at KSh10 billion. There has also been a 42% growth in the export of live animals from 33,000 animals in 2022 to 47,000 animals in 2023. The government will build 450 fenced feedlots in 31 counties to increase annual red meat production by an additional 108,500 metric tonnes valued at KSh54 billion.

41. To sustain high livestock performance, several interventions have been undertaken with the aim of improving genetics and eliminating feed-water supply constraints, diseases, and barriers to market access. Key actions include the implementation of a countrywide breed improvement programme in collaboration with the counties and to upgrading of dairy and beef breeds. In 2023, the Kenya Animal Genetic Resource Centre provided farmers with 900,000 doses of bull semen with the aim of increasing production and productivity. I have directed that the cost of sexed semen be brought down from KSh8,000 to under KSh3,000 which will enable dairy farmers to increase the production and productivity of milk.

42. Likewise, a goat artificial insemination (AI) station at the Animal Health and Industry Training Institute Ndomba, Kirinyaga County, has produced 48,000 doses of goat semen and trained 80 goat inseminators.

43. Veterinary services are essential to safeguard animal and human health, improve animal welfare and productivity and ensure the production of safe, high-quality animals and thus promote food security and domestic, as well as international trade.

44. I want our livestock farmers to work with confidence and rest assured of consistent, reliable, and effective provision of vaccines. In 2023, the modernised Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute produced 35 million doses of assorted livestock vaccines.

45. To enhance livestock disease and pest management, the government is launching a national vaccination programme to eradicate the PPR disease and control the Foot and Mouth Disease. Under this programme, more than 22 million cattle will be vaccinated against foot and mouth disease, while 50 million goats will be vaccinated through a collaborative nationwide exercise. 

46. The government will provide vaccines and facilitate vaccination, while county governments will provide logistical support and human resources. 1,500 veterinary surgeons and 6000 animal health assistants will provide health and husbandry services to our farmers.

47. To facilitate the holistic development of the livestock sector and anchor all its value chains in a sustainable strategic platform, the government is implementing several policies and legislative reforms and improvements to transform the livestock sector, guide training institutions and provide a predictable environment to attract investments. These frameworks include the Veterinary Policy, Livestock Policy, Livestock Bill, Livestock Masterplan, Food Safety Policy, and Food Safety Coordination Bill. All these are at various stages of consideration by the Cabinet and Parliament.

48. To guarantee the sustainable availability of a well-trained, highly skilled, and knowledgeable workforce needed by the sector, 1,700 students were enrolled in various livestock training institutions in 2023 to study animal health and husbandry, leather technology, dairy technology, and meat inspection.

49. Similarly, our support for productivity in the livestock sector extends to fisheries, aquaculture, and the blue economy. We have established 11 new landing sites in the coastal region and financed the operation of beach management units in Shimoni and Liwatoni, which have been equipped with commercial fishing boats.

50. We have done the same in the Lake Victoria region, where 11 fish landing sites have been established at various points on the shores of Lake Victoria, and beach management units set up and equipped with fishing boats. In addition, we are setting up two hatcheries, one in Kabonyo to restock Lake Victoria, and another in Shimoni to serve the Indian Ocean.

51. Agriculture is the engine of our economy. It strongly complements manufacturing, export trade, and micro-, small, and medium enterprises and indirectly supports our health agenda. The bottom-up economic transformation of Kenya requires us to mobilise with urgency and pursue intentional undertakings to catalyse and sustain a revolution in our shambas that will reverberate in our urban areas, towns, and cities.

52. To accomplish this, we have committed to implement strong interventions on three different points, all aimed at promoting a robust bottom-up economic resurgence. As already discussed, we made a defining choice with our pledge to discontinue wasteful consumption subsidies and instead invest in supporting production.

53. The second fundamental intervention was to enhance national revenue mobilisation, engaging more eligible taxpayers and ensuring that due revenues are collected. It is critical to emphasise that the resolve to invigorate tax revenue mobilisation was accompanied by an implicit and explicit undertaking: That the government would not compromise on its responsibility to steward public resources with utmost prudence, transparency, and accountability. This commitment is irrevocable: We must live within our means by raising our own revenue and spending it carefully and wisely. Every officer in the public service, starting with me, shall be held to full account for all resources under their authority.

54. The third critical strategic decision was to invest intensively in agriculture and food security, together with other pillars of BETA, in order to stimulate growth in the productivity of our farmlands and rural economies. But having done so, it is necessary for us to enhance market access for our produce and products, locally, regionally, and beyond.

55. To enhance access to credit by farmers, in the next financial year, we are allocating KSh1 billion to the Agricultural Finance Corporation to provide affordable credit to farmers. Additionally, we are collaborating with Afriexim Bank to provide KSh 15 billion to AFC to support increased lending to farmers. The Indian Exim Bank will also support AFC to enhance our agricultural mechanization agenda, providing farm inputs to farmers at low rates.

56. I want the people of Kenya to understand that our advocacy of integration is part of our traditional commitment to regional cohesion and solidarity, the Pan-African imperative, and the expansion of market access and linkages with trade and investment counterparts for our producers, beyond our borders.

57. I stand here, therefore, to urge our farmers and other agriculture sector entrepreneurs to work with renewed confidence, with the assurance that the fruit of their labour will meet demand in Kenya, East Africa, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the African Continental Free Trade Area.

58. Further abroad, we have secured quota-free and duty-free access to the 27-country European market for produce exports from Kenyan farmers under an Economic Partnership Agreement between Kenya and the EU.

59. I also wish to report that during my recent visit to the US, we negotiated the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, an instrument which has enhanced access to the US market for African exports, and catalysed the rapid growth of Kenyan exports, especially in the textile and apparel industry.

60. My call similarly applies to Kenyans from all walks of life. Let us keep working hard, embrace broader visions and dream more ambitious dreams so that the tide of bottom-up economic transformation can sweep us all into our collective destiny of shared prosperity.

Kenya Air Force planes fly over the Masinde Muliro Stadium during the 61st Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1, 2024. /PCS

In his speech, Ruto declared three days of national mourning starting Friday, April 19 in honour of the late KDF boss.

Here is his full statement:

Today at 2:20 pm, our nation suffered a tragic air accident at Sindar area, Kaben location, Tot division, in Elgeyo Marakwet County. I am deeply saddened to announce the passing of General Francis Omondi Ogolla, the Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces.

Together with him in the crash were eleven other gallant military personnel, 9 who also passed on and two survivors. 

Photo of President William Ruto and Chief of Defence Forces, Francis Ogolla. /PCS

The gallant military personnel who passed on are:

1. Brigadier Swale Saidi
2. Colonel Duncan Keittany
3. Lieutenant Colonel David Sawe
4. Major George Benson Magondu
5. Captain Sora Mohamed
6. Captain Hillary Litali
7. Senior Sergeant John Kinyua Mureithi
8. Sergeant Cliphonce Omondi
9. Sergeant Rose Nyawira

The CDF, onboard the Kenya Air Force Huey Helicopter, had left Nairobi this morning, to visit troops deployed in the North Rift under Operation Maliza Uhalifu, and to inspect the ongoing school renovations works in the following schools:

1. Chesitet Primary School
2. Cheptulel Boys High School
3. Chepoton Primary School
4. Ksaa Primary School
5. Sablimoi Primary School

As part of his working tour, the CDF had been briefed on the security situation by a multi-agency team stationed at Chesitet in Baringo County, after which he proceeded to the Kainuk Forward Operating Base in Turkana County, where he addressed troops, commending them for their resilience and operational successes.

Last Moments

The CDF and his entourage departed from Kainuk to Chesegon, West Pokot County, where he launched the rehabilitation of Cheptulel Boys High School. He then departed Chesegon for the Recruits Training School in Uasin Gishu County, where he was scheduled to inspect construction facilities at the institution. Unfortunately, the aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. 

This is a moment of great sadness for myself, as the Commander in Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, the Kenya Defence Forces fraternity and the nation at large. Our motherland has lost one of her most valiant generals, gallant officers, service men and women. The demise of General Ogolla is a painful loss to me, and certainly, the sorrow we all feel about his passing is shared by all the people of Kenya, and especially the KDF fraternity. A distinguished four-star general has fallen in the course of duty, and service to country. 

I convey my deepest condolences to all families who are grieving this untimely loss and our mourning nation. May the Almighty Lord rest their souls in peace and grant their families fortitude at this time of deep sorrow. I also wish a quick recovery to the two injured soldiers in this accident. 

Next Course of Action & National Mourning

The Kenya Air Force has constituted and dispatched an air investigations team, to establish the cause of the air crash.

In honour of the life and the distinguished military career of the fallen general, who lost his life not just while in office, but in active military duty, the nation will observe a period of three days of mourning commencing tomorrow 19th April 2024. 

During this time of national mourning, the Kenyan flag, the Kenya Defence Forces Flag, and the Eastern Africa community flag shall fly at half-mast in the Republic of Kenya and Kenya missions abroad. 

Poleni sana.

President William Ruto greets CDF Francis Ogolla at State House. /KENYA DEFENCE FORCES

The Head of State made a series of headline announcements, among them being that Kenya would scrap visa requirements for all global citizens from January 2024.

Read the whole speech below:

1. I am delighted to have the privilege of leading the people of our nation in celebrating the important milestone in our journey to national independence. Sixty years ago, on a day like this, Kenya took its final step of the freedom struggle to become a sovereign Republic.

2. According to the vision of our forefathers who fought for this country’s freedom, independence was intended to bestow on us the gifts of political as well as economic self-determination. This anniversary gives us the opportunity to gather as a family and reflect together on how we have fared over the course of six decades.

3. It is clear that we have made undeniable progress on many fronts and, as a result, our nation may be said to have come a long way in the right direction. Before that first Jamhuri Day, Kenya’s sovereignty was exercised by an unelected, foreign and colonial power for the benefit of an occupying minority.

4. We have since matured from a single-party State to a competitive, multiparty democracy and devolved system of governance with robust checks and balances under the Constitution. ratified by the people of Kenya in 2010.

President William Ruto inspecting a guard of honour during the 60th Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens on December 12, 2023. /PCS

5. Along with the maturity of our democracy, Kenya’s institutions of governance have evolved significantly. Parliament is now more than ever an independent, assertive organ of government with its own calendar and budget. As a result of this autonomy, party positions on important national issues are much more clearly defined and, whenever circumstances and the national interest demand, bipartisan engagement across the political divide is pursued in a structured way

6. Proposals currently before Parliament on the enhancement of the autonomy of county assemblies prove that our assemblies are also making encouraging progress in their maturation into independent watchdogs, policymakers and representatives of the people in our counties.

7. Devolution is growing its roots deeper to connect with the soul and spirit of our nation. We have consistently allocated more resources and made them available on time, while supporting measures to further empower the county assemblies to become good stewards.

8. Our political culture has also evolved considerably. We are now committed to making sure that at every election, our democratic competition is less about personalities and tribes, and more about issues and the national interest. As a result, the last General Election, which serves as a very solid beacon of this new direction, reflected the true will and confidence of the people of Kenya in democracy.

9. Without the rule of law, our democracy falls short of serving us as a people. The Judiciary, which is our nation’s foremost anchor of the rule of law, continues to grow in its capacity to authoritatively discharge its constitutional mandate and make justice a right of every citizen. To provide effective and efficient services to the people, we have enhanced resources available to the Judiciary, promoted respect for its independence and submitted to its authority in order to deepen our credentials as a nation guided by the rule of law.

10. To complete this framework of institutions designed to safeguard and promote constitutionalism and the rule of law, our constitutional commissions and independent offices have evolved to discharge their mandate in accordance with the Constitution in a most constructive manner in support of good governance. The IEBC, CRA and SRC, among others, have lived up to their constitutional expectations.

11. Today, there is much to celebrate about the strides we have made for six decades. The democratic credentials of our political culture are solid, and our institutional maturity is beyond doubt.

12. 60 years ago, we certainly were far from where we are today. The progress we have made is undeniable. Our peers at that time, nations like South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, have similarly made immense progress in democratic and institutional maturity. They have, however, made much more economic progress than us and, as a consequence, they are much more advanced today than we are.

13. The point at which we stand today is the culmination of the collective endeavour of our nation’s founding generation and those that came after them. The vision which inspired their struggle and sacrifice was one of a united, free, democratic and economically prosperous nation. They fought for true sovereignty, which envisioned political democracy and economic prosperity. Our forefathers made huge sacrifices to win for Kenya the freedom we celebrate today, and the generations that followed them have made their contributions progressively to bring our State, society and economy to its present. We gather today to express our gratitude, celebrate their legacy and contemplate our contribution to accelerating future progress.

14. In our democratic and political journey, we have made tremendous sacrifices and progress, from single party to multiparty, personality and ethnic parochialism to issue-based and national politics, from violent and intolerant discourse to orderly and peaceful elections. However, we have not made as much progress with our economy. Our savings as a percentage of GDP is dismal, the gap between the rich and poor has not reduced, many, especially young people, don't have jobs and our revenues as a percentage of GDP remains low. Our generation must therefore take up the unfinished of actualising economic prosperity as our contribution to perfecting Kenya’s national sovereignity. We owe this to those who made huge sacrifices to bestow on us a nation of promise, and we owe it to one another: To the youth, women, children of Kenya and each one of us.

15. The responsibility of our generation, beginning with this administration, is to make smart choices and necessary sacrifices, just as our forefathers and those who came after them did, so as to match our economic progress with our democratic and political achievements. This is the assignment we took up on Day 1, the 13th of September, 2022, and which we have been painstakingly undertaking for the past year.

16. Our focus has been firmly about the ways and means of transforming our economy, and making the right decisions, necessary sacrifices and smart choices to set Kenya on the path of economic renaissance. This transformation began with all of us, as the people of Kenya, making immense sacrifices and huge contributions together to pull back our country from the brink of debt distress.

17. The greatness and patriotic devotion of the people of Kenya have been on display during the past year. Together, we have made the right choices, sometimes taken very difficult and painful decisions, to steer Kenya back from the edge of the catastrophic cliff of debt distress, and move our nation in a new direction.

18. There is every reason to believe that without serious sacrifices and hard work over the past year, the crises, threats and challenges in the global economic and geopolitical environment confronting us would have overwhelmed us, as indeed, it has many countries. We have had to make our contribution to the struggle for the nation’s economic sovereignty. We have had to cut back significantly on expenditure and to defer the implementation of critical development programmes to stabilise our economy. The policy measures required to mobilise necessary revenues have been difficult, but they were our only way and means of escape.

19. Though painful, the sacrifices we have made, which would not only make our freedom fighters proud but were also absolutely necessary at such a time as we found ourselves in to guarantee our nation’s economic stability. Proudly, these sacrifices have paid off: I can now confirm that Kenya is safely out of the danger of debt distress and that our economy is on a stable footing.

20. The economic indicators point to good news. Inflation is now at 6.8%, down from a high of 9.2% last year. In the last 6 months, our GDP has grown at 5.4%, making Kenya the 29th fastestgrowing economy in the world, according to the World Bank.

21. There is no question about it: What we have done together, the price we have paid together and the sacrifices we have made together have rescued our country from an economic catastrophe.

22. After navigating our way out of a difficult and complicated debt situation, our second action is to accelerate economic progress, which is the cardinal assignment of our generation.

23. Our human capital, our innovative, smart-working, professional labour force is probably the single most potent arsenal we have to drive our to drive our economic progress. Globally, Kenyans have excelled in semi-skilled, skilled and professional occupations. Our expenditure on training, learning and education in general is a most appropriate investment in the development of the human capital necessary in our economic progress.

24. Recognising this, we have increased the total allocation to our education sector by an additional KSh127 billion. Out of this, KSh46 billion will support the new university funding model, an additional KSh9 billion to cover our TVET funding model and the hiring of an extra 2,000 tutors, an additional KSh47 billion to enable TSC hire 56,000 teachers, and other interventions, and KSh24 billion for basic education to cover the Junior Secondary School, and to support the construction of additional classroom infrastructure. To cover the chronic classroom deficit in Nairobi County, we have undertaken to build 3,500 additional classrooms with the first KSh1 billion allocated in this year's budget.

A painter at work during the 60th Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens on December 12, 2023. /PCS

25. Agriculture plays a central and pivotal role in our economy, contributing to food security, supplying raw materials for agroprocessing and value addition, manufacturing for domestic and export markets, creating jobs and creating wealth. Only specific, targeted and deliberate interventions will enhance our agricultural productivity and overall production. This begins with the registration of farmers, provision of crop-specific fertiliser, reforms in the tea, coffee, sugarcane and edible oils sectors, provision of mobile driers and other interventions underway across the nation so as to reduce the cost of food, which consumes 54% of household incomes, to reduce by half our food import bill, which stands at KSh500 billion, and also increase our exports.

26. Further, 400 fresh produce markets, 47 county aggregation and industrial parks, as well as 6 special economic zones, are at various stages of implementation to enhance value addition, agro-processing and manufacturing to stimulate economic growth.

27. Economic productivity and general well-being are significantly hampered by a population that is prone to ill-health. Individual and family medical expenditures drain household incomes, and erode family savings, in many cases, leading to financial ruin and estitution.

28. Our universal health coverage plan seeks a paradigm shift in the provision of healthcare, from curative to a largely preventive and promotive approach. Our radical transformative plan has seen the enactment of four Acts of Parliament, for which I thank our legislature, as well as the roll-out of 100,000 community health promoters, for which I thank county governments. I commend counties who have already paid community health promoters and commit that the national government’s portion will be paid at the end of this month.

29. The laws we have enacted now provide a framework in the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund that will liberate the people of Kenya from the burden of catastrophic hospital bills on the treatment of conditions like cancer, diabetes, hypertension and other critical and chronic conditions.

30. Additionally, the new funding framework that is fair, equitable and progressive will see the government of Kenya for the first time pay for all vulnerable Kenyans who have no ability to pay. Those currently paying KSh500 will have their contributions reduced with the least paying KSh300.

31. To enhance efficiency and eliminate pilferage in the healthcare system, the new digital law will underpin the digitisation of the entire service delivery framework.

32. While empirical evidence shows that economic growth has the potential to create jobs and the interventions enumerated above will create opportunities for employment, these interventions, on their own, will not create the kind and level of employment needed to deal with unemployment on Kenya today.

33. For employment and job creation to be at the scale necessary to make a significant dent on our unemployment status and deal effectively with prevailing challenges, our interventions must be ambitious and systematic, consistent and intentional, as well as deliberate and progressive.

34. Our housing programme is fundamentally a massive, deliberate and systematic job creation mechanism. Apart from the thousands of direct employment opportunities in construction and associated services, the housing scheme indirectly supports the formal and informal manufacturing of materials, fixtures, fittings and accessories required in the construction. From architects and engineers to pumpers, quantity surveyors and engineers to site workers, artisans, fabricators, electricians and plumbers, and the construction workers.

35. The housing program is a bottom-up job creator. There are 33 active housing development sites already employing 120,000 people in various parts of the country. Another 31 sites are undergoing evaluation to begin construction next month. Other sites are in various stages of design and by mid-next year the entire country will be bustling construction sites with housing projects proceeding in every country.

36. Our strategic focus is to construct thousands of housing units while creating millions of jobs. South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia undertook these major housing works some 40 years ago, and that’s why their economies are ahead of ours.

37. Yesterday, I signed into law amendments to the National Government Constituency Development Fund Act, which set out a framework to anchor the development of ICT hubs in each of the 1,450 wards in the country. I salute Members of Parliament for the partnership to leverage our digital superhighway infrastructure to provide training opportunities and create thousands of digital job opportunities for young people across Kenya.

38. We are also rolling out training and digital job opportunities in all our TVETS countrywide and already 23,000 computers have been distributed with many students now monetising their skills online. We are in discussion with county governments to jointly expand vocational training centres to accommodate ICT hub infrastructure so as to enhance the digital jobs’ footprints. The digital jobs ecosystem we are building is an intentional, dynamic and innovative mechanism to create jobs in the technology and digital space.

39. We have dedicated specific attention to infrastructure development to promote connectivity through a dense nationwide network of transport and communication infrastructure, actualise the constitutional right to clean and safe water in adequate quantities as enshrined in Article 43 of the Constitution and connect all Kenyans to electric energy.

40. On Jamhuri Day 2022, I announced a grand plan to transform Kenyan sports and creatives into a significant industry to expand livelihood opportunities for our youth, through the Government flagship Talanta Hela Initiative, which we officially unveiled in June this year. Our sportsmen and women continue to make our country proud with their conquests far and wide. Our women’s volleyball and the men’s rugby have qualified for the Paris Olympics in 2024. Our athletes continue to excel at various global events as well exemplified by the shining performances in the long and middle-distance races.

Faith Kipyegon named the World Athlete of the Year in Track events. /WORLD ATHLETICS

41. This administration has also taken deliberate steps to build and invest in the creative economy. First, the famous Grammy Awards have a partnership with us and starting January, the innovation studios of Hollywood have agreed to begin shooting multiple movies right here in Kenya. Google, in collaboration with the ministries of Education and ICT and Digital Economy, has begun implementing a Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development- approved coding programme in primary and secondary schools. To reach 4 million learners, the partnership will train 42,000 teachers.

42. I have good news for our creatives and those who imagine and produce content through Facebook and Instagram. Just yesterday, Meta committed to helping creators in Kenya earn money for crafting original content. Following a pilot programme with eligible creators in the country, Meta will be expanding monetisation opportunities and allowing more creators to earn a living doing what they love.

43. Kenya possesses impressive credentials as a source of highly professional human capital with highly educated, trained, skilled and dynamic young people.

44. We have systematically and intentionally negotiated different bilateral agreements with countries in the Middle East, Europe and Americas to connect our skilled workforce with opportunities globally. This will provide exposure to thousands of Kenyans to work in international organisations, engage in global assignments and monetise their skills and talents as they enhance their incomes and personal development. Millions of Kenyans already working abroad have been great ambassadors for our country and have made huge contributions through their remittances to the development of Kenya.

45. Today, I have conferred upon our world-beating athlete Faith Kipyegon the rank and status of the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya (EGH), the highest honour our country awards its citizens who illuminate the path of excellence. She has earned her place at the very top, from running barefoot to breaking two world records within a year is the ultimate heroism. Faith’s journey is an inspiration to all our young and aspiring athletes.

46. Kenya remains committed to driving climate action and I am proud that we can play a significant role in shaping the climate agenda on the continent. We have demonstrated leadership, which has been recognised both on the continent and beyond, and we must continue to play our part both domestically and on a global stage. Recently, I launched the Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative in partnership with the UAE and several other African Heads of State at COP-28 in Dubai. The goal of the Initiative is to enable businesses to be built rapidly in Kenya using our renewable energy resources and all across Africa.

47. In keeping with our commitment to correct the market failure in provision of affordable credit, especially to those who have no access to any collateral, and to free five million Kenyans trapped in the credit rating mess, the Hustler Fund has grown to become the largest financial inclusion programme in Kenya, disbursing KSh42 billion to more than 21 million borrowers.

48. A week ago, we celebrated the Hustler Fund’s first anniversary. Borrowers on the fund have saved KSh2 billion with a repayment rate of 75% nationally. As promised, we have already enhanced credit limits for over 1.2 million borrowers and spent KSh500 million to match long-term savings on a ratio of KSh1 for every KSh2 saved. At the end of this month, every saver will be paid an attractive interest rate of 12% on their savings. Over 7.7 million are regular borrowers on the Hustler Fund platform. The fund will be enhanced from next month with specific financial products to provide additional enterprise and business facilities for existing mama mboga and boda boda saccos.

49. We undertook to build a culture of savings in Kenya as an effort to create long-term investment resources to fund our growth and development and provide better retirement for Kenyans. The new NSSF contribution model has enhanced monthly contributions by four and a half times. The fund will therefore raise an additional KSh400 billion in the next five years, tripling the value from KSh320 billion to over KSh1 trillion by 2027.

50. Furthermore, our countrymen and women no longer have to wait for over three months to receive their retirement benefits. Owing to digitisation and automation, NSSF benefit processing turnaround time has improved significantly, from an average of 82 days to 10 days with further reduction in the processing period to within a day in the next one year.

51. We are undertaking the expansion of retirement benefits coverage to the 15 million Kenyans currently active in the informal sector through product innovation and bottom-up enrolment strategies at the grassroots level.

52. We made a commitment to our dear citizens, who are elderly, orphaned and those who live with severe disability, that they shall receive their social protection stipends before public servants, including the President, receive their salaries. We have kept our word and delivered on this commitment. Consequently, all 1,233,149 eligible beneficiaries now receive their stipend on time. We have allocated an additional KSh2 billion for newly enrolled beneficiaries who are undergoing verification and will begin to receive their stipends beginning March next year.

53. This programme has had challenges with the beneficiaries travelling long distances and spending considerable portions of their stipend on logistics. Working with Safaricom, we have structured a new delivery mechanism for beneficiaries to receive their stipends from MPESA agents in their localities. Orphans and persons with severe disability will begin using this new mechanism beginning this month. The elderly will start in January. We commend Safaricom for providing this service free of charge.

54. Kenyans are doing their part to support the effort to stabilise and grow the economy. Their sacrifices and contributions are essential and must be honoured. We are therefore taking strong measures to ensure that all revenue is administered transparently, efficiently and in a secure manner. One of our best interventions is the use of digital technology and the migration of government revenue collection to a single paybill. Since this measure was implemented, we have witnessed a significant rise in total revenues collected. Besides enhancing revenue collection, digitisation has eliminated revenue leakages through corruption and theft. It is important that we sustain this progress in promoting integrity, transparency and efficiency in revenue management. And for this reason, I direct that all agencies observe the December 31 deadline to finalise the migration to the e-Citizen platform. 

55. It is only right that I match this admirable commitment by the people of Kenya to do their part in getting the economy going, and give an assurance that all taxes collected by the government shall be put to their intended use and that no single shilling – not one shilling - shall be lost through embezzlement, theft or corruption.

56. I urge our justice, law and order institutions, led by the Judiciary and the anti-corruption agencies, to discharge their mandate without fear, favour, ill-will or prejudice. I also give my personal undertaking to support the prosecution of all those involved in corruption, without regard to their social, economic or political status or connections, ethnicity or any other consideration whatsoever. This is the minimum that is expected of us in fulfilment of our constitutional mandate, and Kenyans deserve no less.

57. The story of our nation's sovereignty cannot be fully told without mentioning the fundamental guarantor of our territorial integrity, economic prosperity, political democracy, the rule of law and the integrity of our social fabric.

58. Our national security apparatus has remained a strong shield against terrorism, crime and insecurity. As we continue to invest citizen's resources into the security sector, we continue to expect continuous improvement in its overall capacity to keep our nation's boundaries inviolable, our people's lives and property safe and secure.

59. I cannot forget the public service. Every member of our civil service has been entrusted with a rare opportunity to make their unique contribution to national transformation. As such, they are at a most advantageous position to demonstrate our national values and principles of governance for the benefit of Kenyans. Today, I appreciate you for being loyal servants, dependable professionals and true patriots, and urge you to do more as our people's partners in transformation.

60. Much has been given you by the people of Kenya and, therefore, much more is expected of you. On behalf of the people, I shall therefore hold you to the highest standards of efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability in serving our nation.

61. Infrastructure development is a critical enabler for transformation of agriculture, delivery of health, job creation and overall economic growth. As a result, our investment in road and rail network, electricity generation and connection, and water harvesting, storage and reticulation continue to be a critical component of our development strategy. A comprehensive multi-year plan is progressively being implemented to support the overall socio-economic development of the country.

62. Our world, and the good in it, belongs to those who are not shy to embrace globalisation. Kenyans have shown, time and again, that we are not afraid of the world beyond our borders. We venture abroad fearlessly and warmly welcome our visitors from near and far. This is not by accident. The scientific historic account of early humanity is told by various archaeological sites in our country. In short, we are the first home of all humanity, and we joyfully embrace our ancestral task of welcoming humanity home.

63. Kenya is the home of humanity, a scientific fact that fills us with pride and underscores our rich heritage. It is with great pleasure, as President of this extraordinary country, to make a historic announcement of the decision of the Government of Kenya. Beginning January 2024, Kenya will be a visa-free country. It shall no longer be necessary for any person from any corner of the globe to carry the burden of applying for a visa to come to Kenya. To echo the call of the Turkana people to the world: “Tobong’u Lorre!” Kenya has a simple message to humanity: Welcome Home! This is why, the Government has abolished the requirement of visas for all our visitors. To implement this new policy, we have developed a digital platform to ensure that all travellers to Kenya are identified in advance on an electronic platform. All travellers will obtain electronic travel authorisation.

64. I have set out an account clearly showing that although much remains to be done to bring economic progress up to the level of political maturity, and to transform our economy to the rank of our historical peers globally, we nevertheless have real cause to celebrate the contributions made by each one of us to the collective national endeavour to perfect our sovereignty in keeping with the aspirations of the brave and indomitable patriots who set us on this path to national glory.

65. We must now go forth with greater resolve, inspired by the heroic achievements of those who came before us, affirmed by the confidence that our work matters for increasing our heritage and glory, encouraged by the progress we are making, and determined to accomplish our generations solemn obligation to make this nation a true jamhuri of the people: Free, prosperous, secure and democratic.

I take this early opportunity to wish every citizen of Kenya, and all our friends near and far, a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2024.

President William Ruto watching military planes fly over the Uhuru Gardens during the 60th Jamhuri Day celebrations. /PCS

Read his full address below:

1. As we convene here in Dubai, we must appreciate that the presence of almost 200 nations speaks volumes about the magnitude of this global event and what it stands for. This gathering is a testament to the universal recognition that among the multitude of global challenges confronting us today, climate change stands out as, by far, the defining issue of our era. COP28 underscores our shared commitment to confront, with unwavering resolve, a challenge that transcends borders, impacts every facet of human existence and well-being, and demands a concerted global response as a matter of grave urgency.

2. The reality before us is irrefutable: according to the latest UN data, unless there is a significant and radical shift in our economic and industrial patterns, we are hurtling at a perilous velocity on a trajectory towards the dire scenario of a world that is warmer by 3 degrees Celsius. The evidence is alarming – in just the first ten months of this year, we experienced 86 days where temperatures soared over 1.5°C above preindustrial levels. Adding to this worrying scenario is the fact that global greenhouse gas emissions have not decreased, but rather increased, by a deeply worrying 1.2% between 2021 and 2022, culminating in a staggering 57.4 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent – a record high that underscores the magnitude of the climate crisis we face. We must add that all the increases were experienced in the G20 countries.

President William Ruto with Anna Bjerde, the Managing Director of Operations at the World Bank, at the sidelines of COP 28 in Dubai on December 1, 2023. /PCS

3. This crisis must never be seen as a distant threat. It is here, now, indiscriminately devastating nations regardless of their size or wealth, thereby reshaping our world in profound, unprecedented and highly complicated ways. A stark illustration of this disastrous turn of events is currently unfolding in Eastern Africa, where catastrophic flooding has swiftly followed the most severe drought the region has seen in over forty years. Scientific evidence clearly and strongly links these extreme weather events to human-induced climate change. Studies indicate that droughts are now at least 100 times more likely in parts of Africa than they were in the pre-industrial era. This translates into a dramatic reduction in long-term rainfall, while short-term rainfall patterns remain erratic and unpredictable.

4. All of us are already living in this dire reality. Kenya has been besieged by relentless torrents that have claimed lives and displaced countless communities. The ensuing injury, loss and damage extends beyond immense human toll, to the destruction of vital infrastructure and the disruption of critical supply chains across many vital sectors. Beyond mere logistical challenges, the devastation further complicates the daily struggle for survival for many households and communities.

5. The situation in our Horn of Africa region, like in many other developing countries, lays bare the harsh reality of climate change. It is a poignant reminder of its disproportionate impact and a call to action for all of us to mobilize rapidly to address this imbalance with urgency, solidarity, and inclusivity.

6. We are also here because we are convinced of our collective ability to effect change. Our mission for this COP is clear: to foster radical cooperation that steers the world firmly back onto a 1.5-degree Celsius ceiling. Equally critically, we are here to affirm our commitment to provide robust support to those of us who have contributed least to climate change, yet bear its most catastrophic impacts.

7. As Africa, we are ready to play our part in full. The Nairobi Declaration which we adopted at the conclusion of the first Africa Climate Summit sets out the vision and a pathway for Africa to be a vital part of the global solution to the existential climate challenge we face. The Declaration captures the consensus of the African government leaders for Climate Positive Growth that harnesses our ample human and natural resources. It commits us to triple renewable energy capacity, establish green manufacturing, halt and reverse deforestation, promote sustainable agriculture, promote nature-based solutions, support the global call to phase down coal plants and eliminate inefficient fossil fuel production subsidies and further amplify calls for a new global financial architecture and global carbon tax.

8. In Kenya, we have transformed this vision into tangible goals. Our plan is ambitious: to expand our current energy capacity of approximately 3 Gigawatts to 100 Gigawatts of entirely renewable power by 2050, as a cornerstone of our green industrial strategy.

9. This level of ambition must be matched by the global commitment to achieve concrete, action-oriented outcomes. The first Global Stocktake (GST) at this COP is not just a checkpoint; it is a crucial step forward in our collective response to climate change. It must therefore encompass strategies for mitigation, adaptation, addressing loss and damage, and fundamentally, the means of its implementation. Such a comprehensive approach will pave the way for a more inclusive and robust set of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in the next cycle.

10. At the heart of our discussions at this COP28 must be a package of ambitious energy transition and investment goals and incentives, aligned with our commitment to maintaining global temperatures within a 1.5ºC limit. This entails a pledge to triple renewable energy capacity, and double energy efficiency by 2030, alongside a significant reduction in fossil fuel dependency. I commend the COP Presidency for their efforts to converge the world around this global goal. The strong participation of traditional hydrocarbon energy leaders in this global endeavour has transformed the conversation and brought us closer to consensus based on democratic inclusion and the best spirit of collective action, as well as multilateralism.

11. Notably, the vision demands deliberate support for developing countries. In the past two decades, only 2 per cent of the three trillion dollars invested globally in renewable energy has reached Africa, despite the continent's vast resource endowment and a great need for investment. The consequences of this investment gap are starkly evident: more than 600 million Africans are deprived of basic energy services, which are fundamental to dignified living and access to essential services such as healthcare and education. The challenge is compounded by the fact that nearly 1 billion people in Africa do not have access to clean cooking amenities.

Prime CS, Musalia Mudavadi at COP 28 in Dubai on December 1, 2023. /PCS

12. A tendency to ignore Africa's developmental and industrialization needs, and the failure to invest in our burgeoning younger generation, is no longer a tenable proposition. We cannot afford to neglect the immense potential or ignore the pressing needs of a continent on the cusp of transformative growth. Turning Africa into a green powerhouse is not just essential for the continent, it is also vital for global industrial decarbonization.

13. Going forward, clear, actionable roadmaps for implementation are required. In turn, this calls for a unified global effort to mobilise the necessary capital for both development and climate action. To echo the consensus projected at the Paris Summit, we must establish a New Global Financing Pact, which ensures that no country is ever forced to choose between its development aspirations and necessary climate action. Fundamentally, this is a call for an integrated approach where economic growth and environmental sustainability are not mutually exclusive but are pursued in tandem for the greater global good.

14. The urgency and magnitude of our task calls for far greater transformation than the incremental progress we have seen over the past 30 years. We need to execute quantum leaps in terms of both our strategic actions and technological innovations. What lies at stake is more than just a climate issue; it is a matter of guaranteeing dignified living and livelihoods for billions who lack basic necessities. Our response must match the scale of this global challenge with boldness and innovation.

15. Given this context, the longstanding adversarial dynamic between the global North and South proves particularly counterproductive. This division has hindered our ability to unite and leverage our collective strengths and robbed us of tremendous opportunities. Yet, in the face of a threat that endangers the health of our planet and our very existence, we must find in collective action a force that neutralises and transcends these divisions. Climate change does not respect artificial distinctions, traditional boundaries and old antagonisms. Instead, it should unite us against a shared, borderless challenge.

16. Consequently, our approach must be collaborative, inclusive, and anchored in justice. This means making decisions that prioritize the well-being of every person while acknowledging that climate action is inextricably linked to social justice and equity.

17. In this room, we have the power, the means and, most of all, the responsibility to act. The world is watching and what we deliver at COP28 will be a testament to whether we are capable guardians of this planet and competent stewards of its sustainability. COP28 and the Global Stock-Take are elements of a strong and clear call to conscience on behalf of the global community. Let us not be satisfied with another minimal increment, but rather, let us make this COP a turning point towards a just, equal world of opportunity, safe from the looming threat of a climate disaster.

The occasion requires me to give an account, to the people of Kenya, of the measures taken by their government, under my leadership, and to give full expression and effect to the soul of our constitutional dispensation by implementing the National Values and Principles of governance set out in Article 10.

2. The status quo in 1963 was a colonial state, the denial of basic freedoms and dignity. Deep inside, many individuals believed change was necessary and they took action. Individual belief resulted in action and ultimately progress.

3. Today, the status quo is a hunger for socioeconomic transformation, one that most of us feel is long overdue, and rightly so. The need for heroism is as urgent as it was in pre-independence Kenya. The power of individual action is still as powerful today.

4. Our heroes today are on the farms, the markets, the factories, and the offices. Our heroes are using their creativity to create content and shape culture; they are playing on fields and working across various fields.

5. Every day when we do our best, when we deploy our diligence, intellect, passion, creativity, hard work, and sense of purpose; every day that we believe we can make a difference - we are changing this country. 

Kenyans following Mashujaa Day proceedings at Kericho Green Stadium on October 20, 2023. /NG'ENDO MURUGU

6. This is our call to Ushujaa, to the best of us every day, to move this country forward.

7. This is why we are focused on empowering Kenyans to be at their best in diverse fields, by democratising and innovating government services to ensure that we give as many Kenyans as possible the opportunity to be their best so that they can move us forward.

8. The Constitution guarantees Kenyans the right to the highest standards of health. Since independence, successive governments have made efforts to guarantee access to quality and affordable healthcare for Kenyans, but with limited success.

9. There have been several efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage in 2003, 2013 and 2018. However, these efforts were not entirely successful.

10. It is for this reason that the government identified healthcare delivery as one of the core pillars of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. In the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto, we made several commitments towards the delivery of Universal Health Coverage. These include the provision of fully publicly financed primary healthcare, the installation of a digital health management information system and the setting up of a fund for improving health facilities.

11. Other commitments were the setting up of an emergency medical treatment fund, the establishment of a national insurance fund that covers all Kenyans, and the availability of medical staff who would deliver Universal Health Coverage.

12. The government has instituted a paradigm shift to preventive and promotive health rather than curative. This approach also makes economic sense. Community health reports state that for every KSh1 invested in community health, KSh9.40 are realised in economic and social gains.

13. In our Plan, the delivery of primary healthcare services at the community level will start with Community Health Promoters (CHP).

14. The work of the promoters will include basic preventive and promotive health, health education, basic first aid for the treatment of minor injuries and ailments at the household level and referral for facility-based healthcare.

15. Each community health promoter is allocated 100 homes within their neighbourhoods countrywide.

16. Considering the pivotal role played by community health in the attainment of UHC, the long-term financial sustainability of community health is contingent on enhanced domestic resources for health.

17. The National Government is working closely with the county governments to strengthen the delivery of community health services through the payment of stipends for 100,000 Community Health Promoters, on a matching basis of 50:50. The national government has allocated KSh3 billion annually for the payment of the stipends. It is worth noting that, as of today, over one million households in 10 counties have been visited by community health promoters, offered services and their data captured in the AFYA NYUMBANI dashboard. This is a major achievement.

18. We also agreed to provide 100,000 Community Health Promoter with kits – which contain basic equipment for household health screening, medicines and supplies used for service provision at the household level.

19. Quality community health data is essential for the planning, resource allocation and monitoring of progress towards Universal Health Coverage. The Government is committed to delivering on the digital health agenda starting from the community level. The electronic community health information systems (e-CHIS), which is live and being used by promoters across the country, is a simple and user-friendly mobile health application that will be used to collect real-time accurate household data, initiate planning for health service delivery and provide linkage to health facilities. Along with the CHP kits, the Government has provided 110,000 smartphones for use by the promoters and Community Health Assistants.

20. The shift from curative to preventive healthcare will further be strengthened by the promotive services provided by community health promoters at the household units, and the integration of preventive services at the primary healthcare levels.

21. These services will include screening for hypertension, diabetes and eye conditions; offering the necessary health education on water and sanitation, nutrition and providing community rehabilitation services, among others. These services will be provided through multidisciplinary teams that will be established at the level of the Primary Care networks.

22. To strengthen the legal basis for health financing, health service provision and achievement of UHC, four new health laws have been enacted. These are:

• Social Health Insurance Act, 2023

• Primary Health Care Act, 2023

• Facility Improvement Financing Act, 2023 and

• Digital Health Act, 2023

23. Health insurance coverage in Kenya is generally low at 26 per cent, with those at the bottom of the economic pyramid having the least coverage of less than 5 per cent. Many Kenyans incur catastrophic expenditures from out-of-pocket healthcare payments, while many more do not seek care when they fall ill, because they simply cannot afford it. Over the last decade, several measures have been put in place to enhance the capacity of the National Hospital Insurance Fund to effectively deliver on its mandate.

24. While these reform initiatives have yielded significant progress, several gaps remain. Recent analysis shows that, among others, the NHIF operates as a passive, rather than a strategic purchaser, is plagued by inefficiency and governance challenges, and is potentially financially unsustainable.

25. It is against this backdrop that the government proposes a paradigm shift in the provision of social health insurance, in the new Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, which provides for the formation of a Social Health Authority which will repeal the current National Health Insurance Fund Act, 1998.

26. In our Plan, I promised a fully, publicly financed primary health care system, an emergency care fund and a health Insurance fund that will cover all Kenyans. This promise is delivered through the enactment of the new Social Health Insurance Act which, among other things, establishes the publicly financed Primary Health Fund, a fully publicly financed chronic, emergency and critical illness fund and the Social Health Insurance Fund. Access to healthcare will no longer be based on the ability to pay; It will be based on the health needs of every Kenyan.

27. We are implementing a per-household payment system, where a flat rate applies to everyone, regardless of their income.

28. Consider this for example, previously, an individual earning Ksh10,000 had to part with Ksh500 to NHIF, a hefty 5% of their earnings. On the other hand, those with salaries of Ksh100,000 or more contributed Ksh 1,700, a mere 1.7% of their income. Astonishingly, even someone with a monthly income of Ksh1 million, say, the President, paid the same amount - Ksh1,700, which translates to a paltry 0.17% of their substantial earnings. This bizarre setup meant that low-income earners were effectively subsidizing high-income earners.

29. The Social Health Insurance Fund also signifies a shift to increased use of domestic resources for health financing and a sustainable approach, especially at a time when resources from donors and development partners are dwindling.

30. The healthcare system in Kenya is largely focused on curative services at the expense of preventive and promotive services. This has occasioned inequity in financing, which has disadvantaged primary healthcare uptake and promotion.

31. The Government’s mission is to build a progressive, responsive and sustainable healthcare system for accelerated attainment of the highest standard of health for all Kenyans.

32. The funds allocated to public health facilities have substantially reduced over the years, as they are directed to the County Revenue Fund and are rarely re-invested into the facilities. The lack of autonomy in public health facility management and financial control has led to increasing fragmentation, poor service delivery, deteriorating health outcomes, reduced efficiency, access, equity, financial risk protection, transparency, and accountability.

33. The Facility Improvement Financing Act aims to structure the process and guide the counties on how to provide for retention, management and use of revenue, derived from health-related services rendered at public health facilities.

34. The Act seeks to ensure a unified approach for health facility financial and management autonomy where public health facilities can retain their funds and have autonomy to operate their facilities based on their priorities. This will improve the availability of resources at the facility to provide adequate and equitable quality health services, increase efficiency and thus improve health outcomes for patients.

35. Kenya has made significant strides towards digital transformation, with many sectors leveraging technology to enhance the implementation of digital products and services. The health sector has made steady progress in digital technology transformation through the implementation of digital solutions to manage, share and use health data. However, the adoption of technology has been uncoordinated and characterised by fragmented implementation, with health sector actors not adhering to basic digital health standards, guidelines, recommendations and digital development principles. These technologies have affected how health data is managed, resulting in multiple systems that have limited ability to exchange data.

36. The Kenya Kwanza Manifesto identifies digitisation as a pillar for the health sector to achieve Universal Health Coverage. Accordingly, the Digital Health Act provides the legal basis for the development of a comprehensive and integrated health information system. These systems will enable end-to-end visibility of health processes and seamless sharing and portability of information that will enhance health service delivery and improve the efficient use of resources.

President William Ruto signs four Universal Health Coverage Bills into law on October 19, 2023. /PCS

37. The enactment and implementation of the Act and the digitisation agenda will deliver on the promise to ‘integrate ICT to enhance telemedicine and health management information systems'.

38. Apart from the four laws, the Ministry of Health has put in place various policies and strategies to actualise strengthening of local manufacturing of health products and technologies, to have at least 50 per cent of medicines on the Kenya Essential Medical List produced locally, ensuring procurement mechanisms guarantee value for money and provide the advantage of economies of scale.

39. Our mission is clear: To build a healthcare sector that is a shining example to the world, with healthcare workers in the right numbers, who are motivated, well-supported and inspired to deliver their best. Together, we will ensure that every Kenyan has access to quality healthcare services when they need it, regardless of their background or circumstances.

40. I acknowledge the Ministry of Health, Safaricom, the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the UN Programme on HIV/Aids and United Nations Population Fund, the Danish International Development Agency, the United States Government, the World Bank, the Children Investment Fund Foundation, Academic Model Providing Access to Health Care, Medic Mobile, US President’s Emergency for AIDS Relief, and AMREF Kenya, among others, for their support.

41. Kenyans have deliberately rejected ideas and programmes that limit our productivity, waste our resources and delay our take-off.

42. This is why our focus on effectively lowering the cost of living is based on increasing agricultural productivity and expanding land and other resources for production. We have rolled out an agricultural support programme that has provided farmers with access to fertiliser, affordable credit and extension services.

43. By the end of July, we had distributed 3.5 million bags of region-specific crop fertilisers in 41 counties to registered farmers, working with county governments for last-mile delivery. For the first time in Kenya, fertiliser was distributed based on acreage, and the crops that farmers produce, via a digital e-voucher platform.

44. The results of this program are evident across Kenya. We have placed over 200,000 acres under cultivation, which is more than last year. We are looking forward to a bountiful 44 million bags from the long rain season and 61 million bags overall for both seasons, marking an impressive increase of over 40%.

45. Fertiliser support for the short rain crops is now available at National Cereals and Produce Board depots for the regions that plant this season, including Central Kenya, Eastern and Western parts of the country.

46. I urge all unregistered farmers to use this opportunity to register so that they can benefit from subsidised fertiliser.

47. To reduce our national edible oil import bill of $1 billion (KSh 148 billion), the government is supporting sunflower cultivation by distributing 600 metric tons of seeds to farmers in partnership with counties in the Eastern, Western, and Nyanza regions, during the short rain season.

48. When we came to the office in September last year, only 320 Government services were available online. Today, there are more than 13,000 services and we expect to onboard all services by the end of the year. This has increased efficiency in service delivery, revenue collection and enhanced accountability.

49. The government is currently rolling out the last mile of 100,000km of fibre optic infrastructure throughout the country to improve health facilities, schools, Judiciary offices in far-flung areas, and other public institutions. We are also concurrently setting up 25,000 WiFi hotspots targeting fresh produce markets, bus parks and other public spaces. We are also working with Members of Parliament in the set-up of 1450 ICT Hubs in every ward in the country, and I am happy that the National Assembly has aligned the NGCDF act to actualise this strategic intent. Our goal is to spur e-commerce, the creative arts and the digital economy; the frontier of our Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

50. We continue to make significant progress in our education sector. Immediately after assuming office last year, we ended months of uncertainty by resolving that Junior School be domiciled in primary schools.

51. We have reduced the teacher shortage by hiring more teachers. In the last year, the Teachers Service Commission has recruited 56,000 teachers, which is half of the required number. This is the highest recruitment in the history of the commission in one year and the largest such exercise in Kenya's history. In subsequent years, we commit to recruit even more.

52. Further, and in keeping with the government’s policy to equip Kenyan youth with practical skills and competencies, the commission has engaged 46,000 teacher interns.

53. Because of the centrality and value of technical and vocational training in the provision of skills, knowledge and competencies, we are increasing tutors in our TVET colleges by another 2,000.

54. In a transformative shift, we unveiled a new funding model for higher education and technical and vocational training that guarantees needy students free college studies. The funding comprises government scholarships, loans and bursaries. Through this model, we have raised funding per student by 40 per cent.

55. Housing is a revolutionary agenda that will have an extensive impact on the economy. At scale, the Affordable Housing Programme will create jobs for our young people, expand the manufacturing of construction products and materials, and enhance economic activity across many sectors. The construction of 46,792 units is already underway, and another 40,000 units are ready to commence construction.

56. Architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, masons, electricians, plumbers, transporters, steel factory workers, cement factory workers, and hardware merchants, will be engaged in this transformative construction housing enterprise to construct 200,000 housing units annually. The construction of one housing unit creates between 3 and 5 direct jobs and 5 to 8 indirect jobs. More jobs will be created with the formalization of the Jua Kali clusters that will provide products such as doors, windows, and hinges for the program.

57. I stand before the people of Kenya to express my pride and admiration for all Kenyans who have risen to the challenge of the moment, seized opportunities that came up as we delivered on our commitments and implemented the bottom-up economic transformation agenda. This enterprising ethos, the hustling spirit, and the motivation to do your part in moving this country forward are heroic.

58. Therefore, let us all dedicate ourselves to nation-building endeavours, assured that as long as we are implementing the bottom-up economic transformation agenda, your government stands with you, and will walk the road of growth and development with you, until we accomplish our purpose and fulfil our mission.

59. In conclusion, allow me to celebrate Kiprugut Chumo, the first Kenyan to win an Olympic medal, by renaming the Kericho Green Stadium after him.

60. We also celebrate Mzee Samuel Kipsoi Ngetich Chepsetyon, an incredible entrepreneur who exemplifies the bottom-up story. A class 3 dropout, he pulled himself up through sheer determination, to set up the Kipchimchim Group of Companies, whose interests span various industries and employ thousands of Kenyans. Before his untimely death, he was working at the West Valley Sugar Company which began milling operations last week. Fare the well Mzee Samuel Kipsoi Ngetich Chepsetyon.

President William Ruto during the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Kericho Green Stadium on October 20, 2023. /SAM TERRIZ

1. On this day, 60 years ago, Kenya formally gained its right to internal self-government. Madaraka, the mandate of majority African self-determination, was a major step towards the emergence of this nation as a Republic later that year. That first Madaraka Day, then, was the golden dawn of our country’s sovereignty: Freedom from colonial oppression, autonomy from racist repression and liberty from foreign suppression.

2. In fighting for our sovereignty, our noble freedom fighters had primarily waged a political struggle to liberate a people violated, humiliated and impoverished under a predatory system whose institutions were vicious and extractive. So, although the freedom struggle was political and the first Madaraka Day represented political autonomy, every Kenyan African understood it to be the beginning of the hard and noble work of securing and enhancing social and economic freedom as well.

3. For six decades now, the people of Kenya have worked hard, with admirable diligence and unwavering determination, to perfect the political freedom of their nation through sustained socioeconomic progress. In this manner, Kenyans have reiterated their commitment to true freedom by complementing political freedom with freedom from want, freedom from suffering, freedom from ignorance and freedom from indignity.

4. Our forefathers’ heroic struggle to vindicate our God-given right of self-determination entailed tremendous sacrifice and immense determination against a colossal adversary. Ultimately, they triumphed. Similarly, our war against underdevelopment, poverty, indignity and vulnerability has been daunting. Yet we have made steady progress year after year, over 60 years of freedom.

5. At the heart of our struggle for freedom, both before and after independence, is the distinctively Kenyan spirit of determination that is nevertheless flexible, consistency which is innovative, the pragmatism that is also hopeful and faith strong enough to take chances. The sacrifices required were inspired by a spirit that is truly unique, which transcends ordinary decision-making.

President William Ruto inspects a Guard of Honour during Madaraka Day Celebration in Embu on Thursday, June 1, 2023. /PCS

6. We recognise that spirit even now. It lives in the heart of every Kenyan who wakes up every morning to give their best, try their luck, knock on doors and chase their dream. We see it every day when we meet traders, artisans, farmers and other workers braving the scorching sun and enduring cold rain in pursuit of a livelihood. We also witness it in the teachers, nurses, police officers, extension officers and technicians who go far from their comfort zone, often beyond the call of duty, to attend to Kenyans in their communities throughout the country.

7. This noble ethic, of willingness to struggle by working hard and embracing risk, and of determination to achieve positive change in great leaps as well as little instalments, has brought us far and will take us beyond the horizon of our destiny.

8. Today, I join all Kenyans to celebrate our magnificent collective achievements, and the spirit of brave endeavour which inspired them 60 years ago and sustains us today. This celebration speaks to the sustained effort we have invested in perfecting our national mandate of self-government. I will highlight the wonderful ways in which we have stewarded political freedom into democratic maturity, enhanced economic freedom by empowering enterprise and expanded social freedom by securing dignity.

A Maturing Democracy

9. We must never forget that until fairly recently, our country’s politics was a divisive, violent, do-or-die affair by which neighbours, colleagues and even relatives were incited into hatred in the name of political competition. In this dark era, the tribe was the fundamental term of all political engagement and the master variable of the democratic contest. Many highly respected experts and eminent persons confidently affirmed that Kenyan politics is inherently tribal, and many leaders designed their political parties, policies and campaigns on the basis of raw tribal appeals.

10. Leaders also made sure that political discourse revolved around personalities and the private interests of a few privileged individuals, and not the aspirations of the majority. Some used political parties as personal vehicles to access the high table where important decisions were made and exploited their ethnic constituencies to negotiate a bigger share of public resources as well as positions of power and privilege in the service of private ends.

11. For decades, Kenyans understood that this perverse political culture not only defiled our democracy but also obstructed the spirit of daring and achievement, arresting our collective progress. The people of Kenya, therefore, yearned for freedom from the tyranny of political personality cults, toxic tribal discourse and the violence they engendered. They desired a more unifying, cosmopolitan framework of engagement which promoted the expression of their shared aspirations, and encouraged inclusive negotiation and a collective means of pursuing them.

12. In the last General Election, the people of Kenya finally broke free: The campaign was conducted purely on the basis of important national issues, foremost of which were economic issues. Not only did Kenyans reject the old divisive politics of tribe and tribal chiefs, but they also demanded and interrogated well-considered party manifestos with detailed plans for economic transformation. As a result, although the election was closely contested, it was the most peaceful in the multi-party era.

13. Our public discourse and political discussion and the agenda of social debate has changed for good. Substantive policy issues continue to define the national conversation well beyond the election. At the moment, there is a robust debate on the Finance Bill taking place everywhere in this country: Church, social places, formal and informal workplaces, all media platforms and busy markets, as well as in urban and rural gatherings.

14. We are truly a trailblazing nation. Many countries struggle in vain to generate a national debate on public financing, taxation or other policy issues. In Kenya, we have easily sustained intense discourse on the Finance Bill and the Affordable Housing Policy for several weeks now. The debate has remained issue-oriented, and there is no hint of divisive ethnic rhetoric at all. The cost of living is keeping all leaders, including myself, awake, and this is precisely as it should be.

15. Superficially, the intense national debate on housing is not about whether it is a tax or a contribution. The attention sharply focused on the housing contributions is an implicit expression of ownership. People desire better information and stronger assurances regarding the custody, security, investment and return on their money.

16. More encouragingly, the discourse on public finances and the Housing Fund has opened our eyes to our emergence as a Stakeholder Republic. Kenyans today, more than ever, are fully involved citizens in shaping public policies and making institutions accountable in the manner in which they run national affairs. This is the vision of Madaraka expressed in the first article of our Constitution: All sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya.

17. We have crossed a fundamentally decisive threshold in the history of our political freedom and democratic maturity. Today, Kenyans of this generation honour patriots who went before us in this celebration of a noble and historic achievement, our priceless legacy to future generations.

18. Kenya also set a new high in election management by deploying a secure, freely accessible public portal which accurately and faithfully relayed vote tallies in the last election, enabling Kenyans and indeed anyone else to compare and verify tallies and ascertain results. This enabled the IEBC to credibly declare and certify the winners of elections, and to establish before court, in response to petitions by dissatisfied candidates, that the elections met the constitutional threshold as simple, accurate, verifiable, secure, accountable and transparent. In fact, the openness and credibility of the 2022 election are affirmed by the fewer petitions filed; 124 petitions compared to 303 in 2017.

19. The economy was the most important issue on which the last election was canvassed. The people of Kenya, in their multitudes, made their voices heard, their ideas clear and their desires known. From Busia to Banissa, Lokichoggio to Lamu, Magadi to Moyale, Mandera to Migori, and everywhere in between, the people said they wanted to transform our economic system, democratise opportunity, enhance inclusion and reduce exploitation.

Enterprise: MSMEs, Cooperatives and the Hustler Fund

20. Instead of the traditional campaigning of confrontation, incitement and division, the last campaign became a sustained national debate on the most pertinent economic issues: the millions of our unemployed youth, access to affordable credit, inclusive financing, promoting the robust expression of the legendary Kenyan ‘hustling’ spirit through MSMEs and the facilitation of individual enterprise by enhancing market power through collective interventions like the chama and sacco. This is how Kenyan entrepreneurs desired to secure access to credit, savings, markets, social security and health insurance.

21. By paying attention to their aspirations, we established that Kenyan entrepreneurs desire to pursue success through enterprise, which takes positive measures to ensure that no one is left behind or exploited. It is an enterprise culture which encourages the pursuit of individual aspirations through collective systems, which empower every person to succeed within the context of a thriving community.

22. In the course of consultations with Kenyans at the grassroots throughout the country, we identified a number of barriers to the effective realisation of their economic agenda. The first was the bureaucracy in regulation and compliance, including tax administration.

23. Second, the extreme informality of most enterprises, which effectively relegated them to the margins of empowerment, facilitation or even recognition as lawful undertakings. Third, was the misconception around “expanding the national tax base”: Is it about people paying more or more people paying? The answer lies in empowering more Kenyans to enter the taxable income category through intentional efforts to create millions of new jobs.

24. Fourth, a huge number of Kenyans, about 10 million, had either been blacklisted by the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) over their inability to pay loans advanced by financial technology platforms or were struggling to pay. Other lenders required hefty securities and valuable assets as collateral, yet these struggling entrepreneurs required financing to acquire such assets in the first place. It was clear, therefore, that the prevailing financing and credit facilities were not supportive to the profitable existence of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

25. Self-employment accounts for 51.31 per cent of all jobs in our economy. 83 per cent or 15.3 million jobs are in the informal sector, and only 3.1 million jobs are in the formal sector, representing 17 per cent. Considering this employment landscape, it was imperative that we attend to the interests of this underserved majority of workers urgently, resolutely and effectively.

26. This engagement with the business community inspired the creation of the Financial Inclusion Fund or the Hustler Fund. To eliminate the financial cost, delay and bureaucracy entailed in complying, the facility employs the latest fintech, powered by Kenyan telecommunications corporations. The Hustler Fund also re-engineered the idea of collateral by deploying the borrower’s credit score as effective security.

27. Without a doubt, the Hustler Fund has been more than transformational; it is revolutionary.

28. On its way to becoming effectively the biggest financial institution by the number of borrowers and active loans, the Hustler Fund also turned around the country’s fintech, transforming it from a predatory ecosystem to a more responsible one. As a result, Kenya’s digital economy has received a tremendous shot in the arm as demonstrated by reports that Safaricom alone has enrolled at least 2 million new subscribers into its financial ecosystem courtesy of the Fund.

29. Today, as we celebrate progress in achieving economic freedom, we also celebrate our digital economy, powered by our famous fintech community. Kenya’s legendary spirit of enterprise has entered the digital space.

30. Kenyans responded to this promise of economic freedom in unequivocal terms. The total number of digital transactions now stands at 42.5 million through which 20.2 million Kenyans have accessed nearly KSh30 billion, and repaid KSh19.7 billion, with 7 million being repeat customers. Not a single shilling has been stolen through corruption, and borrowers do not need to know anyone, bribe any official or go through complex bureaucratic procedures to access the Hustler Fund. They only need a device, a little airtime and a few minutes, and they are able to get money wherever they are.

31. The second product of the Hustler Fund will usher our unique collective-driven competitive market enterprise to the online domain. To promote inclusion, the Hustler Fund is going to deploy groups such as chamas and saccos to overcome exclusion and barriers to participation in credit, savings, social security, health insurance and other socio-economic amenities. This is how we will use policy and technological innovation to mainstream our way of life. We are committed to leveraging fintech in ensuring that no one is left behind in the financial and entrepreneurial inclusivity revolution.

32. I am delighted to announce that during today’s celebrations, I shall be launching the second product of the Financial Inclusion Fund, which is aimed at facilitating people's access to funding through groups. I am sure that this will be very good news to my good friend Shiko from Ruaka, who, like many informal business entrepreneurs, was ready for this innovation even before we launched the first Hustler Fund product.

33. I am glad that this launch of the group loan product is taking place against the backdrop of the phenomenal success of the Hustler Fund Personal Loan product. I expect that this product will encounter even greater appetite from the market.

34. As I have already mentioned, your credit score will determine the amounts you can access, and the group is your collateral. This means that your conduct as an entrepreneur, and as a member of the community will begin to define your creditworthiness. But there will also be opportunities to rehabilitate defaulters if they demonstrate sustained behaviour change.

35. Thus, we have equalised the formal and the informal system, enabling both to enhance their complementary contributions to jobs and wealth creation from an equal footing. As we celebrate this increase in our economic freedom, today we also celebrate the democratisation of the Kenyan economy.

Housing

36. This is why more Kenyans are taking part in robust conversations about our economy. The conversation is inclusive, focusing on the proposals to raise taxes to discourage imported goods that can be manufactured locally so as to grow local manufacturing and enhance export competitiveness. In this debate, Kenyans are interested in how the government will create the 1 million jobs it has committed to providing through the Affordable Housing Programme.

37. During this discourse, an understanding is emerging that the construction of a housing unit consumes a tremendous amount of manufactured products. The Affordable Housing Programme is, therefore, an intervention supporting the local construction industry, including the Jua Kali sector, to create high-quality and competitive opportunities for manufacturers and jobs for citizens. By catalysing the construction of hundreds of thousands of affordable housing units, we shall also be stimulating productivity and competitiveness in the manufacture of cement, steel, paint, nails, ballast, timber, roofing materials, windows and doors, among many other products.

38. In enhancing Kenya’s industrial productivity, our export performance will increase and have a positive impact on our balance of trade, employment creation and the growth of wealth. Through regional and continental integration initiatives, a vast untapped African market exists to consume Kenyan industrial output.

39. Our vision for the Affordable Housing Programme is premised firstly on the economic objective of creating a million direct and indirect employment opportunities throughout every value chain in the housing development ecosystem. A single housing unit is capable of employing 3-5 workers directly, and an additional 8 workers indirectly, in the manufacturing of construction products, transport and logistics. 

40. The second objective of the Affordable Housing Programme is to increase the number of homeowners and transition more Kenyans from rent-paying to homeownership.

41. The Affordable Housing Programme aims to enable mama mboga to access and afford a mortgage and embark on a feasible journey towards home ownership. Beyond the cost of houses, the programme, therefore, entails an entitlement aspect, which gives priority to the communities resident where the projects are situated. This way, the housing programme will raise the bar in terms of quality at the bottom.

42. The third objective of the Affordable Housing Programme is human dignity which entails the liberation of millions of people who live in unhygienic environments without proper sanitation. We did not fight for independence to relegate our innocent compatriots to a life of suffering, exclusion and indignity in slums.

A group of informal traders at the Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1, 2023. /PCS

43. In brief, our nation is involved in collective public reasoning on the ways and means of baking a much larger cake for everyone, as opposed to unpleasant quarrels about who gets a share of a minute cake, and who does not.

44. To enhance our national productivity, we are prioritizing the consolidation, processing and value addition of agricultural products. This is being achieved through the establishment of county aggregation and industrial parks in all the 47 counties. Additionally, the government has stepped up the establishment of five additional export zones in the coming financial year in Sagana, Thika, Njoro, Eldoret and Busia to complement the one in Athi River. Our special economic zones in Dongo Kundu, Naivasha and Isiolo will act as further catalysts in attracting domestic and international investments.

45. At the same time, we remain firmly committed to continental free trade, and the effective implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area. Just this week, we concluded the working retreat for trade ministers of the continental free trade area with the private sector. I am glad to welcome to this gathering the delegation that has been holding Africa Private Sector discussions in Nairobi led by my brother the President of Comoros, His Excellency Azali Assoumani, and one of the foremost champions of Africa Continental Free Trade Area.

46. It is also gratifying to note that 11 Trade ministers are here today. I wish to recognise the following delegations led by the AfCFTA Secretariat:

I. Delegation from Comoros

II. Delegation from Niger

III. Delegation from Central Africa Republic iv. Delegation from Chad

IV. Delegation from Namibia

V. Delegation from Djibouti

VI. Delegation from Cote D’Ivoire

VII. Delegation from Nigeria ix. Delegation from Botswana

VIII. Delegation from Ghana

IX. Delegation from Burkina Faso

47. Today, we also gather to celebrate our achievements in enhancing social freedom through the implementation of our commitments to health, food security and education. 

Food Security and Kenya’s Biggest Employer: Agriculture

48. A significant portion of household budgets goes to food, a major component of the cost of living. Understandably, there has been animated engagement on this subject. After a prolonged drought, which pushed the entire Horn of Africa region to the brink of famine, widespread shortages of staple foods have driven food prices beyond the ability of many households to afford them.

49. Enhancing food production is an intervention with multiple fundamental implications. It promotes access to affordable and adequate food and nutrition for the majority. It also increases food supply, lowers prices and thus reduces the cost of living. Moreover, subsidising food production increases jobs and productivity in the country’s biggest employer - agriculture.

50. In keeping with our commitments in this critical sector, we have registered 5 million farmers nationwide. These farmers immediately became eligible to receive subsidised fertiliser, and those who stepped forward received their full fertiliser requirement unlike in past seasons when the allocations were rationed. As a result of these measures, Kenyan farmers have been able to plant 200,000 additional acres of food this year and used 2 million more kilogrammes of seed.

51. As international petroleum prices continue to rise beyond reach, the cost of fuel locally rises steeply. Transport, as a component of household budgets, is affecting the cost of living. We have to liberate Kenyans from reliance on transport that depends on petroleum. For this reason, we are rolling out an electric vehicle public transport system which will bring down the cost of transport significantly.

52. Our boda boda industry is about to experience inclusive transformation through the introduction of more efficient, affordable and clean vehicles. With this intervention, owning and operating a boda boda will become affordable, secure and profitable. I am eager that this information reaches the seconder of my presidential nomination, Mr Calvin Ochieng, who operates in Kilimani, so that he can escalate his hustle to the next level.

Health

53. A healthy nation is liberated from human suffering and empowered to pursue its livelihoods and dreams without the hindrance and underperformance associated with ill health. A healthy nation is a happy nation. Freedom from disease is therefore a primary plank of our agenda to perfect self-government. We are committed to doing so affordably, inclusively and in a manner that enables Kenyans to receive quality medical attention from the comfort of their homes.

54. Towards this end, we are reforming the National Health Insurance Fund to meet the urgent needs of Kenyans at the bottom of the socioeconomic structure by actualising its purpose as a social medical insurance facility.

55. Secondly, we have committed to delivering universal health coverage that enables every Kenyan to attain dignified healthcare at the minimal cost of a subscription fee. 

56. Thirdly, we have collaborated with county governments to recruit community health promoters (CHP) throughout the country in such numbers as will make available one promoter for every 100 households. This means that each promoter will be tasked with visiting Kenyans at their homes to determine whether any conditions need to be managed through a healthier lifestyle or basic medical attention. They will also be tasked with enabling patients with chronic conditions to manage their medication, diet and general well-being in a manner that makes hospitalisation unnecessary. Finally, the promoters will facilitate early detection of conditions for referral to comprehensive attention in the spirit of effective healthcare management.

Inclusive, Equitable, Quality Education: CBC, Higher Education

57. The imperative of Madaraka mandates us to build a strong democratic prosperous nation through the successful pursuit of high productivity and competitiveness, industrialisation and technological innovation. All these things require a people who are all empowered with knowledge, skills and understanding not only to effectively participate as informed citizens of a democracy but also to pursue meaningful livelihoods and perform their share of economic production and even go further and imagine, create and build the Kenya of our future.

58. Education, therefore, matters for our freedom and self-reliance and is the enabler and optimizer of every other undertaking. We have taken all possible measures, and pursued every available option, to actualise our vision to make education at all levels accessible, affordable and inclusive, and removed social and economic barriers to the attainment of the highest level of education by Kenyans. Beyond subsidising primary and secondary education in all public primary and day secondary schools, we have re-imagined higher education financing to deliver equity and broader access to all Kenyans, with special attention to enabling the most vulnerable learners to realise their right to education.

59. We have also employed 35,000 teachers in a historic and unprecedented drive to improve the national teacher: pupil ratio and enhance performance. Additionally, we are re-designing the competence-based education curriculum to make it responsive to our education needs at this point of our social, cultural and economic development. Finally, the National Open University will obtain its charter in the course of this month and as we speak, courses are being uploaded for commissioning.

60. For long, tertiary education in Kenya has been a privilege for the most fortunate, while university education was the exclusive entitlement of elites. Not anymore. A month ago, I unveiled a new funding model for higher education that will make the universities and technical training fully inclusive, financially robust and capable of competing with their peers globally while contributing to our national socio-economic transformation through innovation, research and development.

CSs Moses Kuria and Ezekiel Machogu, and Kimani Ichung’wah arriving at Moi Stadium in Embu for the Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1, 2023. /FILE

61. The model is aimed at financially supporting an increasing number of students enrolling in these institutions and ensuring that those from households at the bottom of the socioeconomic structure enjoy equal education opportunities. Under the model, therefore, they will receive full scholarships, while others will receive appropriately graduated levels of scholarship support determined through a robust financial testing instrument (MTI).

Technology

62. The eternal conundrum of Kenya’s integrity agenda revolves around the questions of: “Who will watch over the trustees of public interest?” and “Who will watch over the watchman?” These questions do not arise because we have low trust. Rather, they exist because we have high expectations. Given that these expectations are legitimate in a technologically driven new millennium, we are increasingly resorting to technology as the answer to our transactional efficiency problems.

63. From the Elections Results Portal for our democracy to the Hustler Fund for MSMEs and the Means Testing Instrument for higher education, as well as registration of farmers and distribution of fertiliser, digital technology is enabling the government to deliver services efficiently and to give citizens confidence that the system is fair and incorruptible.

64. We must therefore take a moment today to celebrate technology in general, and in particular Kenyan fintech and other innovations that are making it possible for us to serve Kenyans to the best possible standard. I remind all Kenyans who work in technology, and everyone who uses technology that our forefathers fought with basic technology against a technologically superior superpower and won our freedom. We have a duty to deploy the best innovations and technologies to make Kenya efficient, competitive and prosperous. 

65. I am persuaded that technology holds the key to improving efficiency, enhancing inclusion, promoting transparency and integrity, deepening trust and strengthening public confidence in government service provision. This is the reason why we are digitising government information and taking public services online. On this day, I invite all Kenyans to embrace the new era of eGovernance, which empowers people everywhere, including the majority at the bottom of the socioeconomic structure, to access government services at their convenience, through their mobile devices.

66. Since the advent of e-Citizen, the government gradually increased the number of services available on the platform to 391. The rate of increase of on-boarded services is now shifting to a new radical trajectory. Today, 3,570 services have been onboarded, and we expect 5,000 services to be online by the end of this month. Our ambition is to offer every government service on the eCitizen platform by the end of 2023.

67. Finally, as we contemplate all the achievements we are celebrating today, let us reflect on the noble motivations and visions which inspired our heroic freedom fighters to make such immense sacrifices for the sake of freedom, not just for themselves, but also for the rest of their people who were not willing or able to join the struggle. Why did these heroes embrace such profound risk and danger in pursuit of a benefit that everyone else would enjoy?

68. The answer must not only define our attitudes to public service, but it must also shape our understanding of the reasons and values that underlie collective undertakings and social policies. For our freedom fighters, a country in which anyone was unfree and oppressed was not worth living in.

69. We have a duty to translate this truth into our political, social and economic affairs. Our collectivistic spirit that anchors competitive individual enterprise encapsulates this magnificent ethos. We owe each other certain duties as members of a community that we call a nation. Whenever we can do anything to make another person’s life better at no or little cost to ourselves, we have a solemn obligation to proceed and do it.

70. There is a fundamental level at which we are morally obligated to think about our duties to the unemployed youth, vulnerable communities struggling in slums and other people at risk of exclusion. Their struggle for dignity as human beings appeals to our duty of moral consideration. Their complicated pursuit of livelihood can potentially complicate our more stable prospects. No human is an island. In community lies power, and to unlock that power, we must attend to our values and perform our obligations.

71. That is why freedom fighters consider the inherent morality of their cause to be sufficient reward. For example, those earning Ksh200,000 monthly will pay only Ksh2,500 to a fund that helps create jobs for millions of youth and brings a meal to the tables of many hustlers. This is a worthwhile contribution to make for the greater good.

72. As we continue to make progress in our pursuit of the transformation of our economy from the bottom going up, we must remain vigilant that no one is left behind and no resources are lost to waste or corruption. Public servants must ensure that public resources must be utilized solely and exclusively for purposes that serve the interests of the people. I have made a personal commitment to use all instruments and authority at my disposal to curb waste and theft. I will not permit greed, lawlessness or impunity.

It is now my honour and pleasure to introduce and officially launch the second product of Hustler Fund, the HUSTLER Group Loan. 

1. In the last two weeks, our Country has experienced grave acts of lawlessness, widespread violence, looting and invasion of private property by persons taking advantage of political demonstrations, called by the opposition.

2. During this period, lives have been lost, people injured, property looted or destroyed, the economy has suffered and our image as a Nation dented.

3. Our security agencies have endeavoured to do everything within the law to protect the lives and property of all citizens. Nevertheless, the violence, chaos and disorder continue to distract our national focus on economic transformation.

4. Three Kenyans, among them a police officer have lost their lives in the protests. More than four hundred Kenyans, including at least 60 security officers have been injured. A Police vehicle was burnt to ashes, while another was hijacked and commandeered by unruly protestors. Two houses of worship were burnt down. Kiosks, supermarkets and a mortuary were looted.

Police officers along Haile Selassie Avenue in Nairobi during the Azimio la Umoja demonstrations. /FILE

5. Our Country’s image and history in the league of Modern Nations has been at stake. The Country’s economy has been hard hit, at a time when my administration is doing everything possible to salvage the economy from the deep hole it was in. My administration has instituted solid measures and policies to attract investors, and through their investment, create opportunities for millions of our young people to realize their potential. We cannot allow these efforts to be derailed by acts of violence, chaos and anarchy.

6. We all have an obligation to respect the Constitution of Kenya. This also includes respect for the institutions established and created by the Constitution. Our Country’s electoral system and process are anchored on the principles of this Constitution. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) conducted a free, fair and transparent General Election on 9th August 2022, a poll that was observed by different organisations; local and foreign. The Commission declared the results for all six elections conducted and any contestant who was aggrieved by the outcome, had an opportunity to present their grievances to the country’s Judicial system for arbitration.

7. The Supreme Court of Kenya heard and determined with finality, the 2022 Presidential election dispute and ruled on the petitions that were filed by the aggrieved contestants and their supporters.

8. Nevertheless, I have carefully listened to the issues raised by Honorable Raila Odinga. In times like these, it is not about who is right or who is wrong. As Winston Churchill said, I dare say that “courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, but it is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”

9. I have always been ready to engage Kenyans from all walks of life, including elected and appointed leaders from across the political divide, and the religious fraternity on how to make our country better and more prosperous. My door still remains open for honest, objective and sincere deliberations, based on the rule of law and the Constitution.

10. On the re-constitution of the future electoral commission, the selection panel that is currently in office is a creation of the law that was passed by the two chambers of Parliament in response to a Court decision. The Court clearly stated that one institution, in this case, Parliament, cannot dominate the process of establishing an electoral commission at the expense of other institutions that have a role to play in the country’s electoral process.

11. However, considering the matters raised on this particular subject, I suggest a bi-partisan engagement in Parliament on the re-constitution of the IEBC panel within the parameters of the law and the constitution.

12. In any case as a democrat and guided by the constitution I, on 9th December 2022, sent a memorandum to Speakers of the National Assembly and Senate, requesting for purposive intervention on Implementation of the two-thirds Gender Rule; entrenchment in the Constitution of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), Senate Oversight and National Gender Affirmative Action funds, the establishment of the position of the leader of the official opposition and the improvement of Parliamentary oversight of the Executive.

13. The IEBC Selection Panel and the future process of recruitment of its Commissioners could as well be part of a conversation leading to Constitutionally and legally binding proposals, through a bi-partisan Parliamentary process.

14. In these circumstances, and in view of the recent events that led to the loss of lives and destruction of property I urge Hon. Raila Odinga to call off any further demonstrations.

15. Meanwhile, I call on all Kenyans to remain peaceful and law-abiding. I assure you that the government will continue with its sacred duty of protecting lives and property.

WILLIAM RUTO, PRESIDENT

The election of 2022 handed our country an illegitimate regime that is heartless, reckless and dictatorial. Kenya Kwanza regime is dangerous for our democracy and therefore to restore the dignity of the Kenyan people and put back our country on the path to prosperity, this illegitimate regime must go.

Immediately the Kenya Kwanza regime illegally forced itself on the Kenyan people, it has embarked on measures whose effect has been to make the cost of basic commodities and services unfordable to a great segment of our population.

This illegitimate regime heartlessly removed subsidies to Unga, electricity, petrol, diesel, paraffin, bus fare and school fees. This has made life unbearable to almost every Kenyan.

Ruto has instead launched a massive propaganda campaign against the subsidies program that was meant to secure the lives of millions of Kenyans from the harsh economic times.

This is happening at a time when virtually every nation on earth has unveiled interventions to shield their citizens from the vagaries of economic decline.

Fellow Kenyans,

Two weeks ago, on the 22nd day of February 2023, we gathered at the Jevanjee Gardens and gave the illegitimate Kenya Kwanza regime a 14-day ultimatum to remove all these cruel policies and things, failure to which, Kenyans take transformative actions.

At that meeting, we said that all subsidies to basic commodities must be restored and taxes must come down in 14 days. We said the process of disbanding and remaking the IEBC must stop completely because it is an exercise in futility which is null and void. We said the IEBC servers must be opened and audited within 14 days.

And we said that if these demands are not met, we would lead Kenyans to launch MDD in a campaign of mass action and civil disobedience whose aim is to restore people’s power, choices, and sovereignty in who governs them and how.

Fellow Kenyans,

Those 14 days elapsed last midnight with Kenya Kwanza having done absolutely nothing.

Fellow Kenyans,

Today, we make good our promise to Ruto and his illegitimate Kenya Kwanza regime.

We unleash the PEOPLE’S POWER FOR ACTION and launch the MOVEMENT FOF DEFENCE OF DEMOCRACY.

Article 37 of our Constitution provides that “every person has the right, peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities.”

Article 1 of our Constitution equally provides that “All sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya and shall be exercised only in accordance with this Constitution. The people may exercise their sovereign power either directly or through their democratically elected representatives.”

We are today invoking these provisions of our constitution to launch a massive PEACEFUL movement of defiance against an ILLEGITIMATE, RECKLESS, HEARTLESS, INCOMPETENT Kenya Kwanza regime.

We launch the MDD because Kenya Kwanza is illegitimate and therefore incapable of listening to the cries of the people.

The people are now taking back all their delegated powers. IT IS NOW ACTION TIME.

Having consulted the public widely and extensively, today we give the much-awaited directions. Subject to the constitutional provisions that give the people the power and the right to peaceably and unarmed, assemble, demonstrate and picket, we are calling upon our supporters to action.

Fellow Kenyans,

Starting today and now, we hereby declare the official start of a countrywide mass action for the following reasons:

1. The high cost of living in Kenya which is as a result of the massive looting of public resources and heartless withdrawal of subsidies to food, fuel and education by the Kenya Kwanza regime in the middle of a drought and economic meltdown. To lower the cost of living and to restore the dignity of our people, Mr Ruto must go.
2. The over-taxation by this illegitimate regime is killing our businesses, impoverishing families and damaging opportunities for investments. This must immediately stop for Kenya to economically recover. For this reason, Ruto must go.
3. The importation of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) by Ruto and Company is a scheme to destroy the country’s food basket and to make Kenyans slaves to American multinationals while enriching their cronies. For this reason, Ruto must go.
4. The attempt by the Kenya Kwanza regime to singlehandedly reconstitute the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission by forming a William Ruto Electoral Commission, is a reckless misadventure that is intended to wreck this country. The IEBC selection panel is a puppet Ruto clique that intends to create seven Chebukatis who will aid him in stealing the 2027 general elections. For this reason, Ruto must go.
5. For electoral deceit of overthrowing the people’s will and refusing with contempt to open the servers to affirm the truth, Ruto must go.
6. The victimization of Commissioners Masit, Cherera, Nyang’aya and Wanderi for standing with the truth against Chebukati and his cabal in an electoral theft and their removal from office through a kangaroo tribunal was actually meant to create a William Ruto IEBC. For this reason, Ruto must go
7. The contempt with which the Supreme Court treated the Azimio One Kenya presidential petition is the epitome of judicial thuggery. From the judges’ subservient and unprofessional politically biased remarks and the recent public dalliance with Ruto, the Supreme Court judges confirm Ruto’s complete judicial capture.
8. The accumulation of all powers legislative, executive and Judiciary by Ruto is the perfect definition of tyranny and dictatorship. Ruto is buying the legislature, influencing the Supreme Court and the sole executive decision maker. This is a dangerous dictator that must not be allowed even a single extra minute in public office. For this reason, Ruto must go.
9. In the history of Kenya, it is the first time our country is facing a two-tribe regime. An exclusive one-tribe regime in Rwanda resorted to genocide. In 2007/2008 the security forces were unable to control the violence in Rift Valley simply because of a one-sided security force. Kenya Kwanza is a one-sided illegitimate regime that is planting seeds of ethnic hegemony for a future genocide in Kenya. Only two communities are getting appointed to public service. For this reason, Ruto must go.
10. The creation of unnecessary and unconstitutional offices in the public service including those of their spouses, daughters and sons at the expense of an already overburdened public and an empty exchequer is a cruel ploy by Ruto to reward his cronies as he continues to loot the public resources through proxies. For this reason, Ruto must go.
11. Kenya has experienced unparalleled religious harmony which is the envy of the world. The attempt by Ruto to divide this country along religious and sectarian lines must stop. For this reason, Ruto Must go.
12. The tribalization and ethnicization of our civil service by this illegitimate regime through targeted sacking and firing of legitimate public appointments is a career killer and a recipe for a future genocide. For this reason, Ruto must go.
13. Even though the case was stopped, the murder of the ICC witnesses did not and cannot relieve anyone of responsibility for crimes against humanity. We know only too well what Ruto is capable of doing. Kenyans will never forget the painful murder of Yebei and Gicheru and the burning of innocent children and women in a church in Kiambaa. Neither will we forget the deaths of Msando, Jacob Juma, Kinei and others. For this reason, the Butcher of Sugoi must go.
14. The grabbing of public land in Ruai, a section of Ngon’g forest, parts of Eldoret Municipality, parts of Lang’ata Primary, Mr Muteshi’s farm and many other public utilities can no longer be tolerated by Kenyans. For this reason, Ruto must go.
15. According to the public records Gachagua, who was the District officer in Laikipia was summarily dismissed from office on 30th July 1997 for gross misconduct, desertion of duty and reported mismanagement of relief food for Laikipia District. This is a clear show of unsuitability and incompetency. No wonder Gachagua has impudently alluded that Kenya is a company with shareholders whose resources are distributed discriminately on the basis of shares.

Today, we begin telling Ruto and Gachagua that we indeed are the true shareholders in this country. All the people of Kenya are collectively shareholders in our country.

We begin telling Ruto and Gachagua that we understand that a caring government cannot emerge from an illegitimate regime like Kenya Kwanza.

We begin telling Ruto and Gachagua that we have no more patience with an illegitimate regime that is too mean-spirited and too incompetent to deploy resources for an all-out war on poverty and suffering.

We have no more patience for an illegitimate regime of hypocrites and fake humanitarianism. We begin telling Ruto and Gachagua that we can’t keep living on false promises.

We begin telling Ruto and Gachagua our clear understanding that when we keep taking painkillers long enough, they will cease killing the pain; and that is when the real pain will begin. Kenya is ripe for a people’s MDD. The process begins today, here, and now. Ruto must go.

We launch a campaign of defiance of peaceful picketing, peaceful protests, boycotts, strikes, disobedience, peaceful petitions, peaceful sit-ins and peaceful demonstrations and it begins today and NOW!

We also urge the victims of the retrogressive policies of this illegitimate regime including Workers, Doctors, Teachers, Nurses, Lecturers, Students and the Business community to join this political revolution and movement for change. We are stronger together.

As your leaders, we commit to fight, resist and defy this illegitimate regime side by side with you until our voices are heard and respected. We recognize that only through hardship and sacrifice can our cries be heard and acted on.

We will be with you to the bitter end. It is action time, let us all come out, wherever we are to make our voices heard and respected. And after we have done what we have to do, wherever we are in every corner of the country, we shall finally converge in Nairobi.

Take note that on the 20th of March 2023, we have a date with destiny in Nairobi. On that day our supporters throughout the country shall stage a massive procession in Nairobi for a legitimate and inclusive government. Save the date.

We thank you and let the action begin.

The MOVEMENT FOR THE DEFENCE FOR DEMOCRACY HAS NOW STARTED!

Among the achievements included the enrolment of 2.7 million new registered voters ahead of the 2022 general elections and the transmission of the presidential election results through a public portal accessible to Kenyans and those around the world.

He accused tribes of fuelling divisions, especially in politics, delay in the disbursement of funds and attempts to ruin the commission's independence as among the challenges he encountered while at the commission.

Here is his full speech:

"I am pleased to welcome you to the launch of the Post-Election Evaluation report for the 9th August 2022 General Election.

This launch is not only the last event on our election calendar but also marks my last duty to this country as the Chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

The conduct of a post-election exercise by the Commission is in line with Article 88(4) (b) which mandates it to, among others, facilitate the evaluation of elections.

It is also an integral part of the past election phase of the electoral cycle and best international practice that affords an election management body an opportunity to reflect on lessons learnt and make recommendations for implementation in subsequent elections.

I have had the unprecedented opportunity to preside over the two General Elections and a fresh Presidential Election during my six-year tenure of office at the helm of the Commission.

As I look forward to my exit from office tomorrow, I wish to share my reflections on that journey as Chairman of the Commission. I was appointed Chairman of IEBC on January 18, 2017, and took office on January 20, the same month.

In the oath, I swore to obey, respect, and uphold the Constitution of Kenya and all other laws of the Republic that I would faithfully and fully, impartially, and to the best of my ability, discharge the trust and perform the functions and exercise the powers devolving upon me by virtue of the appointment without fear, favour, bias, affection, ill-will or prejudice and I asked God to help me remain true to this oath.

I joined the Commissioners that had been appointed along with me to oversee the conduct of the 2017 General Election that was less than seven months away.

We had very limited time to understand the infrastructure of the election and the architecture of the Commission. Additionally, the processes had been concluded and there was no time to make any major reviews or adjustments.

We conducted the 2017 General Elections that were nullified and holding of fresh presidential elections ordered by the Supreme Court.

The fresh presidential election was held on October 23, 2017, and its results were upheld by the Supreme Court in the subsequent election petition.

As it will be recalled, one Commissioner resigned before the fresh Presidential Election while three others resigned shortly after, leaving the Chairperson and two Commissioners.

Those were difficult moments but Commissioners Prof. Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu, and I could not falter on our oath of office. We had a duty to this country to start preparing for the 2022 General Election.

Secondly, we had a responsibility to ensure the preservation of the Commission with its long-tested experience in election management that had created a large body of technical competence and practical knowledge that drives its preparation and conduct of Elections.

Drawing from the lessons learnt during the General and fresh presidential elections, and the Supreme Court judgement of the presidential petitions, we set out to prepare for the 2022 General Election by developing a strategic plan and an implementation mechanism that would incorporate the reasoning of the Supreme Court in the Presidential election petitions and recommendations arising from the 2017 Post-Election Evaluation.

The Commission developed its Strategic Plan 2020 – 2024 and an Election Operation Plan (EOP) that provided a roadmap for the implementation of the Commission’s strategic objectives.

Achievements:

Over the past six years of our tenure at the Commission, we successfully conducted a number of activities and tasks that we set out to discharge. These include:

1. Devolvement of Commission operations from 17 regions to 47 county election manager offices complete with key staff ready to undertake elections at any given time.

The County Election Managers and Senior Election Officers at the constituencies are permanent staff who are gazetted as County and Constituency Returning Officers respectively.

2. Development of various policy manuals and standard operating procedures (SOP) to address systemic challenges within the Commission’s systems and operations, these included; a) Human Resource and Administration Manual (Policies and Procedures), b) Finance and Accounts Policies and Procedures Manual, c) Internal Audit Charter, d) Audit and Risk Committee Charter, e) Risk Management Framework, f) Risk Management Policy, g) Compliance Management framework, h) Gender and Inclusion framework, i) Research, electoral boundaries and risk management Policy and Standard Operating Procedures Manual, and j) Legal Services Policy and Standard Operating Procedures Manual, and These manuals provided clear operational and administrative procedures for effective governance and streamlined procedures.

3. Submission to Parliament of four draft bills proposing amendments to various electoral laws. These bills included:

a) The Referendum Bill 2020

b) The IEBC Amendment Bill 2020

c) The Election Campaign Financing (Amendment bill)

d) The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021

However, these draft bills were not enacted into legislation and this compelled the Commission to gazette administrative guidelines to address gaps in the law for instance the election results path.

4. Preparation of a report titled ‘Electoral Law Reform in Kenya: The IEBC Experience’, which was presented to Parliament and is readily available to the public on our website.

The report has a comparative analysis of electoral systems from other jurisdictions, provides a basic threshold that electoral systems must meet and defines areas for electoral legal framework review and enactment to regulate the conduct of elections.

It is my firm belief that the report provides a comprehensive basis for the realization of a robust electoral legal framework for the country.

5. Enrolment of 2,743,498 new registered voters and increasing registration centres in the diaspora by adding the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Canada, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Germany and South Sudan to Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Africa. The Commission, after subjecting the register to verification of biometric data, audit and cleaning up of the register, produced a Register of 22,120,458 voters with 46,229 polling stations.

6. Reduction of the cost of election through:

a) Reuse of KIEMS kits purchased in 2017 and procuring only 14,000 new devices to replace the faulty ones.

b) Early procurement of ballot papers through a framework contract that saw the cost of one ballot paper reduce from Ksh150 to Ksh25.

c) Procurement of ballot papers equal to the number of registered voters for electoral areas where an election was contested.

7. Elimination of avenues that could provide opportunities for electoral malpractice like multiple voting or ballot stuffing. This included:

a) Printing ballot papers equal to the number of registered voters in the various polling stations where elections were contested.

b) Strictly identifying voters electronically using the Biometric Voter Identification system and using the printed register ONLY in instances where technology fails.

c) Transmitting only the image of the election result form 34A using the Results Transmission System from the polling station to the National and Constituency Tallying Centre as well as the public portal.

d) Deploying a secure public portal where election results from Form 34A, 34B and 34C were hosted for the nation and the world to access. Records indicate that over 386,000,000 logins to the portal and those that tallied got the same results as those posted in form 34C. This was the game changer in the elections and elevated transparency in elections to a whole new level.

8. Implementation of the Election Security Arrangement Programme (ESAP) in collaboration with the National Police Service.

The overall aim of ESAP was to ensure coordinated security management for a peaceful election environment.

The Commission and the National Police Service cascaded training on election security down to the constituency level to ensure that election staff and the security apparatus work together towards ensuring elections are conducted peacefully within their respective jurisdictions.

I am pleased to report that the Commission and the National Police service worked harmoniously is ensuring the peaceful conduct of elections except in some isolated incidences at tallying centres.

9. Development of 17 election manuals that were used in training staff and other stakeholders like the Judiciary, political parties and the Media. This training gave stakeholders a clear understanding of the election process to engage in their various areas related to elections.

10. Collaboration with the Kenya Media Sector Working Group (KMSWG) to enhance transparency and ensure a quick flow of information in election reporting to the public.

Through the IEBCKMSWG Joint Taskforce a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by the Commission, Kenya Editors Guild and Kenya Union of Journalists was signed to enable collaboration in training over 600 media practitioners on elections thereby empowering them to interrogate electoral issues and accurately report on processes.

11. Construction and equipping of a media centre at the Bomas of Kenya to provide workstations for local and foreign media and a venue for the Commission to periodically give media briefs. It was also expected that the media would form a consortium that would use the media centre to conduct an independent tally of election results and share them with the public (which is a common practice in mature democracies).

However, local media houses opted to tally results individually, and even after that never shared their final tallies except for one that was published on its website.

Challenges

The Commission in the course of achieving the foregoing milestones encountered a number of challenges that slowed its quest to meet the democratic aspirations of the people of Kenya.

While the Commission on its part addressed internal systemic challenges, some key external ones remain unaddressed. These include:

1. Highly ethnicized and divisive politics

The combination of highly competitive elections and negative ethnicity in Kenya’s politics always leads to divisive elections that often result in poll violence.

Ethnicity is often the main currency of competitive elections and it habitually mutates into conflicts between dominant competing ethnic tribes thus undermining national unity, security, and stability.

Such divisive elections have always led to enormous political pressure being applied on the Commission as Commissioners and Staff of IEBC are always subject to ethnic profiling during campaigns and public rallies making them insecure and susceptible to attacks.

Although the challenges posed by highly competitive elections and negative ethnicity are recognized by all stakeholders in Kenya, there have never been deliberate efforts to conclusively deal with the same.

Instead, symptomatic treatments such as disbandment of the Commission have been routinely undertaken which has not led to a lasting solution.

It is time the nation had a candid discussion on the electoral system that the country should adopt to suit the circumstances of our country’s political anatomy.

2. Late Enactment of Electoral Laws

The persistent late enactment or amendment of electoral laws too close to elections undermines the planning and implementation of electoral activities within the set electoral timelines. The international best practice is to cease enactment of electoral laws at least two years before a General Election.

This is also one of the key recommendations made by the Kriegler Commission. During election season, some political players have a habit of filing numerous cases in court in order to influence Commission decisions/operations.

Unfortunately, pronouncements of some of the court decisions are made too close to the election date thereby affecting Commission’s preparedness.

It is imperative that amendments to the electoral laws are concluded at least two years before the election date to enable the Commission to plan and prepare for the election on the basis of a settled legal framework.

3. Inadequate and Untimely Disbursement of Funding

The conduct of elections is not an event but a process that follows a five-year electoral cycle, which continues from one election to the next. Over the years, the Commission’s funding has not been adequate and in tandem with the electoral cycle activities.

Funding of election activities is usually provided by the National Treasury during the election year.

After general elections, funding of the Commission’s programmes is curtailed thereby constraining activities in subsequent phases of the election including; regular maintenance of election technology in readiness for the subsequent general elections, continuous voter registration, voter education and staff capacity building.

Moreover, delayed disbursements of funding for elections are responsible for the rushed procurement of goods and services, often at inflated costs as vendors take advantage of the Commission’s urgency to catch up with the electoral cycle activities.

Such delayed procurements also negatively impact on training and deployment of electoral technologies.

The Commission strongly recommends the operationalization of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Fund as provided for in Section 18 of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act.

4. Attempts to erode the Commission’s Independence.

The Constitution of Kenya, 2010 in Article 88 as read together with Article 249 (2)(b) lays great emphasis on the independence of the Commission, both in decision-making as well as operations. Despite these clear legal provisions, attempts are always made to undermine the independence of the Commission, especially during elections.

The 2022 General Elections witnessed probably the gravest attempts to usurp the Independence of the Commission and the sovereign will of the people of Kenya as expressed in the polls. These attempts took the form of:

Ethnic profiling and open threatening of some members of the Commission and staff.

b) Arrest and holding incommunicado of Commission staff and service providers without any lawful basis.

c) Abduction and illegal detention of staff and service providers by state security.

d) Attack and assault of some members of the Commission, staff and service providers by goons and law enforcement agencies at the Bomas of Kenya and some County and Constituency Tallying Centres.

e) Abduction and murder of a Constituency Returning Officer.

f) Intimidation of some members of the Commission by some members of the National Security Advisory Council to moderate results in favour of a presidential candidate.

The gravity of these attempts to subvert the will of the people cannot be wished away or swept under the carpet because they may reemerge in the future election.

For this reason, the Commission wrote to the President of the Republic of Kenya requesting a public inquiry in respect of the process leading to the declaration of the final results for the Presidential election 2022.

The outcome of the inquiry will bolster the independence of the Commission and ensure that it maintains the stature contemplated by the Constitution of Kenya.

It will also enable a future election environment devoid of harassment, intimidation, profiling and harm of Commission Staff while discharging their election duties.

It will also ensure that the institutions that support the Commission during elections discharge their duties and responsibilities in accordance with the law and not as directed by individuals with partisan interests hell-bent on subverting the will of the people.

5. Misinformation and Disinformation.

The spread of false/incorrect statements or facts in a political is a recipe for tension, unrest and chaos.

In Kenya, just like in other jurisdictions misinformation and disinformation is the latest and probably the greatest threat to elections even in mature democracies.

False accusations that have the potential to cause violent conflict are often levelled against the Commission’s conduct of elections by political players.

In most instances, no action is taken against authors of these remarks as they are considered to enjoy the freedom of speech yet they can discredit an otherwise free fair and credible election.

It is surprising that despite the remarkable enhancement of checks to guarantee the integrity of our electoral processes, the old notion that elections are stolen or rigged still pervades our political rhetoric.

It is even grave that misinformation and disinformation is unashamedly presented in our hallowed Courts as evidence during election petitions.

There is a need for action to draw the line between what should pass as free speech protected by the Constitution and outright misleading statements that are an incitement to conflict and violence.

Conclusion

The tenure of Commissioners Prof. Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu and myself ends on January 17, 2023. We have made our fair share of contributions towards strengthening democracy in Kenya.

We hold that the 9th August 2022 General Election, whose presidential results were upheld by the Supreme Court, were free, fair, credible, transparent and impartial elections.

This could not have been achieved without strict adherence to the robust corporate governance structure of the Commission and its guiding legal regime.

The Commission as established and mandated by the Constitution of Kenya and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act has clear roles, duties and responsibilities for its members and staff.

Pursuant to these provisions the Commission established a decision-making structure that includes Commission Plenary and Committee.

This corporate governance structure is functional throughout the electoral cycle and decision-making follows the setup. During elections, the Commission appoints Returning Officers who take responsibility for the conduct of elections and results within their respective electoral areas.

The Constitution, the Elections Act, the Election Offences Act and other enabling statutes clearly provide for their roles, duties and responsibilities as well as mechanisms to address any breach. It is therefore incumbent upon the Commission and Staff to conform to this corporate governance model, and adhere to the rule of law and fidelity to the Constitution.

To act in any other manner is tantamount to straying into the forbidden territories of breaching the objects Commissions and Independent Offices, that is:

a) Protect the sovereignty of the people; 

b) Secure the observance by all state organs of democratic values and principles; and

c) Promote Constitutionalism.

This launch marks my last duty as Chairman of the Commission. I exit contented that we gave it our best to this Commission.

We charted and weathered storms that threatened the existence of the Commission. We endured relentless fatigue in our preparation for an election.

We mastered higher courage to overcome the perils of democracy and we delivered the sacred will of the people of Kenya. We believe the pace has been set and I take this opportune moment to wish our successors all the best as they pick the baton from us to take the elections of this country to the next level.

I wish to acknowledge the assistance we have been accorded by our development partners which include the direct support through the UNDP-led Deepening Democracy Programme with the membership of the European Union, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Germany, the Republic of Italy and the Republic of Ireland. We also appreciate the various initiatives from USAID.

Finally, I thank the people of Kenya for this opportunity to serve you for the past six years. I equally, with abiding respect, applaud your resolve to vote peacefully during this election. It’s a gift I will cherish and carry with me always.

God bless IEBC, God bless Kenya."

1. We come together on this 59th Jamhuri Day to celebrate our freedom.

2. It is the first national day celebration dedicated to a theme that is relevant to our national aspirations. Our futuristic theme today revolves around Technology and Innovation. The promise of innovation is to enable us to connect, innovate and inspire.

3. As we enter the sixth decade of independence, we can proudly cite many achievements and impressive progress made through our own consistent efforts as evidence that our freedom struggle was neither an empty political adventure nor a reaction born of idle resentment.

4. We gather as a nation to commune with our forefathers, who were long-suffering innocent victims of imperial plunder and colonial oppression, yet also heroic defenders of our inalienable sovereignty and valiant fighters for our freedom. On Jamhuri Day, we celebrate the moment when Kenya proclaimed itself a free democratic republic. It is also a time to reflect deeply on the founding aspirations of our nation.

5. It is time to re-dedicate ourselves to the fundamental commitment binding three generations of our people. First, we must interrogate, with honesty and courage, whether we have been true and worthy heirs of our forefathers' proud heritage. Second, we must have a candid discussion about whether we have behaved well towards one another, and the extent to which we have been mindful of justice, dignity and freedom in our time. Third, we have to evaluate our desire, ability and determination to be faithful trustees of future generations.

6. By all human indicators, we have made admirable progress. 82 per cent of our people know how to read and write. Any of them has fairly substantial levels of education, with skills and professional qualifications to make Kenya truly self-reliant in every sector. Life expectancy has risen significantly, and we have eradicated polio and other diseases which, in the old times, decimated our people by their thousands. More children born in Kenya today live to see their fifth birthday than ever before, and the rate continues to increase at very encouraging figures. We have 32,594 primary schools, 10,482 secondary schools, 12 national polytechnics, 259 technical and vocational education and training institutions and 87 universities. Our country is more secure, with adequate numbers of personnel in our disciplined services.

7. Traditional security threats are under control, with the government making huge strides to eliminate banditry, cattle rustling and urban crime. Our neighbourhood may be rough, but we live in peace and fraternity with all our neighbours and play our role as a member of the regional and international community. The Kenya Defence Forces continue to demonstrate, through their professionalism, commitment to solidarity, and commitment to humanitarianism.

Ladies and gentlemen

8. Beyond our borders, Kenyan professionals have excelled consistently for decades, enabling organisations abroad to achieve their objectives and actualising their career goals in the process. The data on remittances is an object of deep fascination, and not just because we are proud of the Kenyan Diaspora for remitting over Ksh400 billion annually. Remittances are also a reliable indicator of the value of professional contribution and the impact of the knowledge, skill and passion of Kenyans abroad. Our diaspora comprises our best envoys and demonstrates for everyone to see what we are capable of. By extension, they show the world how and why a country of meagre natural resource endowments punches above its weight. My administration will work towards making our diaspora remittances reach a trillion shillings. The State Department of Diaspora Affairs has this target to achieve.

9. We are in a situation of unprecedented uncertainty, with many, complex and interconnected threats arrayed against our shared aspirations.

10. In the midst of this daunting urgency, complexity and threat, we remain ever mindful of our mandate as the stewards of the well-being of our present generation, and the trustees of our future. We have a duty to forge the way forward with courage, diligence, unity and imagination. As I stated in the beginning, the challenges that the founding leaders of our republic confronted on the first Jamhuri Day were as urgent, as daunting and as complex for their time, as the ones we now face.

11. Mindful of this solemn obligation to do right while laying the foundation of a flourishing nation for future generations, I have pursued several interventions since I took office, nearly three months ago, with the urgency, zeal and focus that the moment demands.

12. On my first day in office, I appointed four Court of Appeal and two Environment and Land Court judges and, just last week, 20 judges of the High Court. We have also escalated the actualisation of the Judiciary Fund that will increase the allocation of resources to match the needs of enhancing access to justice throughout Kenya.

13. On my first day in office, I also executed the necessary instrument to actualise the financial independence of the National Police Service in the realisation that this is the substantive enabler of genuine institutional independence. The operational independence of the police is necessary for its efficiency, professionalism and accountability.

14. Since then, we have engaged to successfully re-orient policing operations from a heavy and illegitimate reliance on illegal and extra-judicial interventions, which frequently entail such intolerable violations as abduction, torture, disappearance and murder.

15. 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 taskforce to review the terms of the police service.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

16. A dramatic revolution is quietly underway, which is transforming the ‘who’, as well as ‘how, of participating in enterprise for rapid socio-economic growth. The bottom-up framework proposes to include everyone, from the smallest possible business unit run by individuals of modest means, to our celebrated captains of industry.

17. I engaged three fintech institutions on the way forward in making mobile loans more affordable. As a result, there was a drastic reduction in the interest charged on the Fuliza service, signalling a new era of affordable credit for borrowers.

Kenyans at the Jamhuri Day celebrations on December 12, 2022. /PCS

18. I also engaged lenders on the need to liberate more than 4 million borrowers from the prejudice arising from being blacklisted under the Credit Reference Bureau framework, which arbitrarily paralyses their business prospects. We have secured an agreement with the lenders to abandon this punitive approach and to shift to a credit scoring system which incorporates incentives for both lender and borrower.

19. Perhaps more profound was the launch on November 30 of the Hustler Fund, an innovative revolving fund combining credit and savings, to support and empower many Kenyans to access affordable credit. The fund is available on digital platforms and accessible to individuals on their own. As of this morning – the 13th day since the launch - the Fund had disbursed Ksh7.5 billion. At the same time, 15.4 million Kenyans had registered for the fund. Before the expiry of the 14-day repayment period, Ksh 1.1 billion has since been repaid and nearly Ksh400 million mobilised in savings. It is clear under this programme, that Kenyans have found a platform to save. Clearly, Kenyans know the value of borrowing and paying contrary to the rhetoric of sceptics. By all accounts, this is revolutionary.

Ladies and Gentlemen

20. The rains are finally here. Our farmers are now ready to give Kenya a bumper harvest, improve the food supply and drive down the price of food, the single biggest driver of the cost of living. They will achieve these goals using affordable fertiliser and certified seeds.

21. The government, working with the private sector, has engaged suppliers to import 300,000 metric tonnes (6 million bags) of fertilizer. A consignment of two million bags has already landed at the port of Mombasa, and the remaining 4 million will arrive in the first week of January in time for the long rains. The government will continue to subsidise the price of fertilizer and farmers will buy at Ksh3,500 a bag.

22. Our firm commitment to restoring the former glory of our cotton-producing regions is the reason behind the government’s interventions to revamp the textile and apparel industries and revive cotton farming by providing high-yielding, disease and pest-resistant hybrid varieties to farmers. We are determined to bring back the forgotten smiles of cotton farmers. This will inject billions of shillings to arouse the sleeping giant of Kenya’s industrial and agricultural competitiveness.

23. The time has also come for us to liberate our agricultural production from dependence on rainfall patterns and vulnerability to drought and the effects of climate change. We must produce food throughout the year. We have identified 100 dams in various parts of the country to double the land under irrigation from the current 670,000 acres, and progressively increase it to 3 million acres.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

24. Our interventions to uplift the well-being of all Kenyans by transforming production is underpinned by a sound and innovative policy framework, efficient infrastructure and climate-change mitigation mechanisms.

25. We continue our push to intensify national connectivity through road, rail and fibre-optic infrastructure to support production and innovation in every part of the country. We are finalising a framework for the centralisation of resources to deal with all stalled infrastructure projects.

26. To combat the effects of climate change, we have commenced our plan to grow 15 billion trees on 11 million hectares in every part of Kenya by 2030. Our objective is to increase the national tree cover from the current 12 per cent to 30 per cent over that period. This programme will be implemented through the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with county governments and many other stakeholders, local and foreign. Working with the County government of Nairobi, we will recruit at least 11,000 young people to grow a minimum of 1.5 million trees in the city’s open and public spaces as part of the big dream of greening the city of Nairobi.

27. I have also directed the Ministry of Interior to ensure that all Regional Commissioners, County Commissioners, Deputy County Commissioners, Assistant County Commissioners, Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs and Nyumba Kumi officials, mobilize the public drive for National Tree Planting Culture. The exercise will be coordinated at the locational level and cascaded downwards.

28. Every Chief shall dedicate at least one day per week for a public Baraza cum tree planting drive in which the public will be mobilised to plant and grow at least 3,000 trees weekly, within their respective locations. This weekly deliverable will be a shared responsibility among the Chief, his/her assistant Chiefs and Nyumba Kumi officials. Each Assistant County Commissioner, Deputy County Commissioner, County Commissioner and Regional Commissioner shall file monthly returns on these targets to the Ministry of Interior.

29. Free seedlings will be provided to the public through Chiefs, schools and other public institutions by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

30. The cost of housing is a heavy burden to the majority of Kenyans and is the major factor driving the proliferation of slums. We are committed to making housing more affordable, enabling more Kenyans to live in safe and dignified homes and creating millions of jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities.

31. Through our programme to increase the supply of affordable housing at the rate of 200,000 new units every year, we will lower the cost of living for urban dwellers, make the dream of homeownership possible for the majority of Kenyans with units available at monthly instalments of between Ksh2,500 and Ksh10,000.

32. This programme will generate millions of jobs for all categories of workers and thousands of SMEs as suppliers.

33. We will be intentional about job creation in our economy. The Kenya Industrial Estates will provide intensive coaching and mentorship to 100,000 entrepreneurs and provide information and networking opportunities to 250,000 youth.

34. The Kenya Revenue Authority is now implementing our new tax administration policy, which has seen manufacturing firms earlier shut down over tax disputes, reopened, injecting much-needed revenue into the economy and returning thousands of workers to their jobs. We urge all Kenyans to continue supporting our efforts by paying taxes.

Ladies and Gentlemen

35. We undertook to review the Competency-Based Curriculum following the concerns of many stakeholders, especially parents and teachers. As you know, we set up the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform to engage stakeholders, report, and recommend measures to be taken.

36. In fulfilment of our undertaking to increase teacher to learner ratio in our primary and secondary schools, the government has embarked on the single largest recruitment of teachers in independent Kenya by providing resources to the Teachers Service Commission to recruit 30,000 teachers.

37. Our determination to live as one indivisible national family cannot be compromised. Our pursuit of inclusion is irrevocable. We must continue to resolve injustices of a historical character that have unfairly relegated people to the margins of statelessness when their inalienable rights of citizenship are guaranteed under the Constitution. The government of Kenya has commenced the process to confer citizenship to the Pemba people living in Kilifi County.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

38. We are proud of Kenya’s consistent record of leadership to advance the cause of peace, cohesion, security and stability in our region. Under various regional and continental frameworks, and with the support of international partners, we are deploying our position as a regional anchor State for the benefit of our neighbours and region.

39. My predecessor, President Uhuru Kenyatta, working under the aegis of the African Union is engaged in mediation efforts to restore peace and stability in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and, under the EAC initiative, to restore normalcy in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

40. Our interests are nested in a dense network of reciprocal diplomacy, which helps our agenda to attract investments, forge partnerships and create markets for our exports and employment of our youth locally and overseas.

41. In the past 3 months, we have aggressively sustained our pursuit of mutually beneficial endeavours with friends and partners all over the world. We have engaged productively with EAC member States, the governments of South Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Qatar, Germany and South Korea, to scale up bilateral ties and to explore avenues for collaboration in multilateral fora. We have forged agreements on mobilising investments and financing in a wide variety of sectors. We will continue to engage the international community as we implement our plan.

President William Ruto, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, and President Evariste Ndayishimiye. /TWITTER

Ladies and Gentlemen

42. It is time to innovate our way into the future. It is for this reason that, on this Jamhuri Day, we as a nation are staking our claim by rallying Kenyans to begin the work of designing a world much richer, safer and freer than we have known. 

43. Innovation is frequently associated with technology, and we must avoid the pitfalls of viewing technology and innovation as preoccupations with things at the expense of people. The most consequential breakthroughs in technological innovations have greatly enhanced human well-being.

44. The platform which supports all the transactions on the Hustler Fund was developed locally and has opened up access to affordable credit, liberated millions of hustlers from the vicious grip of shylocks and other predatory lenders, and enabled Kenyans of all walks of life to mobilise savings.

45. This revolutionary technology is a continuation of Kenya’s illustrious tradition of pioneering innovation in the financial technology sector.

46. Among the Innovation Week’s champions are the winners of the 2022 Hult Prize, EcoBana, from St Paul’s University, who employed the concept of green and circular economy to produce biodegradable sanitary pads from banana fibre. I have asked the Ministry of Education to work with these young innovators on the delivery of our pledge to provide sanitary pads for schools.

47. The Kenya Innovation Week attracted large global technology firms, whose senior leaders made their way to Kenya to witness firsthand the magnitude of the innovative potential of Silicon Savannah. We have agreed on partnerships to support local organisations in providing opportunities for young Kenyans to acquire training and skills in the various aspects of digital productivity.

48. We are also exploring ways of making the benefits of monetisation of online activity available to Kenyan content creators on more platforms. I have spoken directly to Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram, to monetise content for our digital entrepreneurs that will exponentially multiply incomes and create employment opportunities for others. I am impressed and encouraged by the power of monetisation and remote jobs. This is the way to the future.

49. If I was not a State officer, I wonder what the content on my small Facebook page, with 2.3 million followers, would earn me daily.

50. As we have all witnessed today from the performances that have given us thrilling entertainment, our creative sector is ready with thousands of highly talented and promising youth waiting to seize opportunities to stream high-quality content for monetisation.

51. My administration recognizes sports and the arts as a mega industry that can employ millions of our youth and help grow our economy. This is why we have moved with speed to get our football back, protect Kenya’s proud athletics pedigree from doping, and streamline the collection and distribution of royalties to our artists.

52. Through the revolutionary ‘TALANTA HELA’ Plan, we will rebuild and monetise our sports and creative industry. As part of this plan, I have accepted to champion a grassroots football development program that will see the national government work with county governments to invest heavily in youth football. Arrangements are at an advanced stage to launch a Bottom-up football tournament to be contested by under-19 teams from all 47 Counties. We will work with our governors for each County to build a team right from the ward level.

53. This is the first step in our Football Vision 2030 where we target to see Harambee Stars play at the 2030 World Cup and Kenya host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Together, let us build Kenyan football Bottom-up, from the grassroots of our villages to the grand stage of the World Cup.

54. We are ready to take our place as the digital workforce of the world. Our commitments, under the Digital Superhighway component of our Plan, were intended for this specific purpose.

55. To underscore our intent, we are today unveiling several cohorts of graduates whose training was supported under arrangements between the government and the private sector. Safaricom re-trained a number of university and TVET graduates to meet the digital industry needs in software engineering and data science.

56. Also graduating today is the Presidential Digital Talent Programme, a class of talented youth selected by the Information and Communication Technology Authority for training through an internship. Additionally, it is a big day for the beneficiaries of the Kenya Commercial Bank Tujiajiri Programme. Finally, the Google Hustler Academy, which underwent an intensive and interactive training programme, are ready to begin its journey in a world of work and opportunity that is now familiar territory.

57. I now request all these graduates, present today, to rise.

58. Fortune rewards the bold. I congratulate the young people who followed their curiosity and passion to explore new ideas and possibilities and are now at the threshold of a new chapter in their lives and careers. I can say that through this disruptive graduation, you have now been granted the power to create, connect, innovate and inspire. I wish you success and God’s blessings. Congratulations and you can now take your seats.

59. We also congratulate 29-year-old, Nelly Cheboi, the founder of Techlit Africa who this morning was declared the CNN hero of the year, for her work in creating computer labs for Kenyan children to access the opportunities in the digital world. Congratulations Nelly for connecting and Inspiring thousands of Kenyan children.

60. As promised, everyone present in this stadium today will get a free scholarship on global entrepreneurship and innovation from the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. It is now time to keep the promise. There is a QR Code near you. Scan and access the scholarship now. A 16-unit course that would have cost you Ksh100,000, is now accessible to you for free, courtesy of the Innovation Jamhuri.

61. I also appreciate the firms and organisations which have stepped forward to support our vision to make Kenya the Hotbed of Innovation. We will continue to do our part and make such partnerships bigger in future, and you are always welcome to be part of Kenya’s journey to greatness. As part of this endeavour, Konza has started the distribution of 23,000 virtual desktops to TVETS to enable students exploit remote job opportunities.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

62. We are committed to supporting young Kenyans in re-establishing this country as the republic of ideas and the home of innovation. Through a dedicated Start-up Fund, the government will support the most innovative ideas each year to scale up into viable enterprises and commercial brands that will provide employment and drive economic growth.

63. The government will work with our academia to establish the Kenya Open University within the next one year. I urge our scholars and intellectuals to play their part in democratising education and open the way for anyone and everyone to quench their thirst for knowledge, education and training.

64. In line with the new focus of our National Celebrations, Embu County will host the 2023 Madaraka Day celebrations, under the theme of Universal Healthcare.

65. In conclusion, it is our time to make a contribution that will define Kenya for posterity as the envy of nations and a country that we, our children and their children will be proud to call home. We also have the task of preparing the nation for its future by equipping and empowering our youth to take charge as leaders in a brave new world through innovation.

66. Let us, therefore, rally and join our efforts in the timeless spirit of Harambee to exploit the opportunities at hand and hasten our progress into the future.

Ferdinand Omanyala during a mock race at the Jamhuri Day celebrations on December 12, 2022. /PCS

The Head of State was expected to cover the effects of climate change in Africa amid the current drought crisis facing parts of Kenya and the continent.

Here is his speech below:

"Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen.

We come together for the 27th annual climate meeting, 30 years after the adoption of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992, 25 years since we adopted the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, and 7 years following yet another historic milestone: the Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015.

When the Convention was adopted in 1992, global emissions were approximately 27 gigatons annually. This has risen to about 40 gigatons, while carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere has also steadily increased.

For the past eight consecutive years, documented by the U.N to be the hottest years in recorded history, each new year has been hotter than the previous year. The whole world is reeling from the staggering impact of climate change.

The spread, scale and frequency of disasters like hurricanes, typhoons, wildfires and heat waves, melting sea ice and glaciers, droughts and desertification, floods and rising sea levels, in numerous regions of all continents, indicate that humanity is confronting unprecedented devastation on a global scale.

The State of Climate in Africa report lays it bare. High water stress is estimated to affect about 250 million people in Africa and is expected to displace up to 700 million people by 2030.

In the past 50 years, drought-related hazards have claimed the lives of over half a million people and led) to economic losses of over USD70 billion in the region.

More than 1,000 flood-related disasters were reported involving more than 20,000 deaths in Africa alone over this period. It is estimated that by 2050, climate impacts could cost African nations USD50 billion annually.

The Horn of Africa region, including Kenya, is experiencing the worst drought in 40 years. Two consecutive years without rain have visited misery on millions of people. 2.5 million livestock have died in Kenya this year alone causing economic losses of more than USD1.5 billion.

Two days ago, we went to distribute food relief to 4.3 million affected Kenyans in an emergency programme that has forced us to reallocate funds budgeted for education and health. The trade-offs we are forced to make between indispensable public goods are evidence that climate change is directly threatening our people’s lives, health and future.

Moreover, due to drought, many children have now dropped out of school. We have been compelled to make school feeding a priority in order to keep children in class.

Kenya’s world-famous wildlife heritage has not been spared either, and carcasses of elephants, zebras, wildebeests and many other wild fauna litter our parks. We have had to spend USD3 million to supply feed and water to wildlife in the last 3 months.

Against this backdrop, the lengthy discussions at COPs, with its stalling, delaying tactics and procrastination that have hampered implementation and delivery, is simply cruel and unjust.

We cannot afford to spend more time skirting around the real issues and we must break out of the open-ended, process-focused discussions we are trapped in. Further delay will make us busy spectators as calamity wipes out lives and livelihoods.

As we speak, the pledge made 13 years ago in Copenhagen, committing USD100 billion annually, remains unfulfilled. Such egregious and unexplained default is a major cause of persisting distrust. Neither is there any sound reason for the continuing pollution.

In stark contrast, Kenya, a country with far less resources than the average developed country, has foregone polluting industrialisation and growth opportunities and intentionally invested in clean, green energy.

It must be recalled that Kenya has tremendous hydrocarbon and coal deposits which would go a long way in fuelling the engines of development. Nevertheless, due to resolute commitment, our electricity grid is 93per cent green.

This morning we signed a framework agreement for collaboration on the development of sustainable green industries in Kenya with an investor to produce 30 GW of green hydrogen in Kenya.

There exist opportunities in Kenya to produce 20 GW of wind power, 10 GW of geothermal electricity and being at the equator, considerable amounts of solar energy.

Green energy production opportunities are vast in Kenya and throughout Africa. In the EAC, for example, there exists sufficient hydroelectric potential to produce 100,000 MW and if properly exploited, could generate enough clean energy for the whole continent.

Instead of struggling to power industrialisation using dirty energy, which is costly and is destroying our planet, we want to make a case for developed economies to decarbonise their production by directing industrial investments to Africa and making use of clean energy to manufacture for the world.

COP26 established the Glasgow Dialogue to formulate funding arrangements for measures to prevent, mitigate and remedy loss and damage associated with the adverse impacts of climate change.

Loss and damage is not an abstract topic of endless dialogue: it is our daily experience and the living nightmare of millions of Kenyans and hundreds of millions of Africans. A phenomenon of rising water levels in the Rift Lakes was experienced in Kenya in 2020 and generated a humanitarian crisis.

Approximately 75,987 households were displaced in thirteen counties with a total population of 379,935 requiring urgent humanitarian assistance.

The affected communities endured disruptions to their livelihoods; losing homes, grazing lands and farming fields while social amenities like schools, health facilities, markets, fish landing and processing facilities, once-thriving hotels, curio shops, resorts and lodges, electricity lines, and water supply and sanitation units, were swallowed by water bodies.

Loss and damage must therefore be addressed with a level of seriousness which demonstrates fairness, urgency and consideration.

Africa contributes less than three per cent of the pollution responsible for climate change but is most severely impacted by the ensuing crisis.

It is therefore only fair and proper that this conference takes necessary measures to recognise Africa’s special needs and circumstances under the Paris Agreement, in line with the convention and relevant decisions adopted by previous COPs. 

Beyond the overdue, legitimate and priority concerns of resilience, mitigation, loss and damage, Africa offers unique potential to play an indispensable positive role in the planet’s climate future. 

Africa’s vast tracts of land, deep treasures of diverse natural resources, tremendous untapped renewable energy potential, and a youthful, dynamic and skilled workforce constitute the continent's irresistible credentials.

Properly deployed, these assets could be crucial in driving global mitigation efforts while creating new economic opportunities in the continent. 

I am convinced of the need to more comprehensively showcase the opportunities that abound in Africa, such as green energy, smart agriculture, de-carbonised manufacturing, e-mobility and green building, all aimed at the attainment of zero carbon by 2050.

As the coordinator of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), I, therefore, plan to convene a continental summit focusing on climate action next year.

Accordingly, you are all invited to take part in Africa’s march to sustainable economic transformation and green growth. Kenya’s next significant export will be carbon credits.

This is why we call for simplified, more transparent carbon market systems that directly benefit communities and not just intermediaries.

Back home, I just launched an ambitious project to increase the national tree cover from the current 12.13 per cent to 30 per cent in the next 10 years. We intend to accomplish this by first growing 15 billion trees on approximately 10.6 million hectares of land throughout the country at an estimated cost of USD5 billion. 

In Conclusion, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen in the face of impending catastrophe, whose warning signs are already unbearably disastrous, weak action is unwise; no action is dangerous.

At this point in the progression of this calamity, we have few choices and little time. Our discourse must focus on delivery, and our conversation must be centred on our commitments and implementation.

 I call on every delegate here today to rise to the challenge of this moment, to make difficult but necessary decisions and seize transformative opportunity from the grasp of climate disaster.

This means honouring spending commitments for mitigation and adaptation and mobilising increased financial flows to those affected, especially in Africa.

By keeping our promises, and being bound by our word, we will demonstrate to people across the globe that their leaders are their honest agents and true guarantors. 

COP, this is our golden chance to vindicate present generations who look to us to lead the way in preserving our planet and to perform our role as trustees of future generations. The way things are going, we might never have a more opportune time, and there might never be a better chance."

Watch the speech below:

1. I am tremendously privileged to join Kenyans and our visitors today as we commemorate the 59th anniversary of Mashujaa Day. It is with great humility that I preside over this year’s celebrations for the first time as President and I am humbled and grateful for the honour.

2. We solemnly observe this important day every year in order for us to reflect upon where we have come from as a nation. We mark this date to consider the troubled road we trod through, the sorrowful wilderness of cruel colonial injustice and the price that was paid in blood, toil, anguish and death for us to be a free people.

3. We take this opportunity to also celebrate the histories of the heroes and heroines who sacrificed valiantly in our freedom struggle, their character and most importantly, the values and principles which inspired, sustained and vindicated them, so that we may emulate them by leading lives worthy of their sacrifices. We ask ourselves today: What must we do to transmit this noble history and ensure that future generations appreciate us, not only as worthy heirs of our illustrious ancestors, but also as skillful stewards of their heritage?

4. We do this in pursuit of a solemn covenant proclaimed in the preamble of our Constitution that we, the people of Kenya, shall honour those who heroically struggled to bring freedom and justice to our land by adopting, enacting and giving the Constitution to ourselves and to our future generations.

5. Our Constitution articulates a vision of Kenya our heroes and heroines would have approved: A Kenya worth fighting for and worth paying the ultimate price for. It is their legacy to us and it sets the stage for us to continue their patriotic work in that noble spirit that roused the first freedom fighters to resist colonial rule and their successors to reject post-colonial repression.

President William Ruto during the inspection of the guard of honor at the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens on October 20, 2022. /STATE HOUSE KENYA

6. Our heroes and heroines were neither elected nor appointed. They were not sponsored and they were not funded. They had no offices or budgets. They were ordinary people invested in the struggle to make good their unwavering belief that all people are equal and deserve to live in freedom. People of all walks of life: subsistence farmers and traders, clerks and former soldiers, teachers and their learners, preachers and their congregants, drivers, cooks and farm workers ran away to the forest, armed with nothing but the conviction that a more just way of life is possible and that it is worth fighting for.

7. The legacy of independence is the historic achievement of value-driven bottom-up heroism. The people were distinguished by their unity and commitment to selfless endeavour, determination, patriotism and an unyielding sense of justice. Every time we have come together, we have accomplished major feats. That is why, as a nation, we are exhorted by the National Anthem: “Let one and all arise, with hearts both strong and true”.

8. Our Constitution, the people’s sovereign charter, is an instrument of collective memory. It proscribes tyranny, marginalization and oppression, provides institutional means to dismantle injustice and eradicate inequality and gives us an opportunity to expand freedom and actualise rights. It also defines human well-being to be the reason for individual and collective action as well as the object of the totality of national enterprise.

9. We are united in common endeavors with those who came before us and did so much for our country. We may define ourselves as a nation proudly standing on the foundation of the Constitution, united in pursuit of the wellbeing of every citizen.

10. The principal reason for promulgating our Constitution, then, was to inscribe the values which animated our history of accomplishment and to project them in a manner that resonates across generations. The national values and principles of governance set out in Article 10 form the soul of its dispensation. They define the parameters of patriotism, exemplary service, and selfless sacrifice and profile us in terms of who we are and who we ought to be, individually and as a nation.

11. We can and we must employ these values as beacons for identifying people whose contributions honour the memory of our heroes and heroines and bring glory to our nation.

12. It is time to direct our focus on the work that each one of us does to understand how we contribute to our individual well-being, as well as that of our communities and nation. In this understanding, we must take into account that individuals make up the greater national family and that Kenya’s stature and splendor is always greater than the sum total of our individual efforts or community endeavor. Similarly, our national capacity determines the extent of opportunities all Kenyans have to pursue and attain their aspirations. What I am saying is that regardless of the type and scale of our pursuits, every contribution matters. And regardless of our walk of life, our work matters, our intentions matter and our thoughts matter, because we all matter.

13. I congratulate every citizen for their part in ensuring that the last election was peaceful. I know of attempts at division, disunity, confusion and even some who did everything in their power to entice and pressure our people to engage in criminal activities. But I also know that, despite a competitive campaign period characterised by intense rivalry, Kenyans resolved, in unison, to remain peaceful, united and compassionate. We set a new standard for ourselves: issue-based campaigns, transparent elections and a peaceful outcome.

14. I salute all Kenyans who set out every day, everywhere, doing ordinary things in inspired and extraordinary ways to fend for themselves and their families, thereby keeping the country going. I commend those whose work involves service to others. I celebrate those who volunteer and give, expecting nothing in return, yet serve selflessly. From the farmers who feed our nation to the drivers who connect all parts of the country by conveying people and goods, educators who impart knowledge to our infants in kindergartens, children in schools and youth in tertiary institutions, medical staff in wards, in the field and training institutions, workers in quarries and construction sites, artisans in their small sheds and in large workshops, traders on the side streets in rural and urban markets, and all the way to the Nairobi Securities Exchange, professionals who give their best in every sector of national endeavour and our men and women in uniform, whose bravery and commitment continue to set the gold standard for sterling devotion to our flag - this nation salutes your service and celebrates your contribution. These are real acts of heroism.

15. Because of the contributions of Kenyans everywhere, our country continues to make great strides towards socio-economic transformation, shared prosperity and enhanced wellbeing for our people. In the East and Horn of Africa regions, the larger African continent and globally, this nation expresses our values with greater clarity, and the State projects our aspirations more emphatically.

Agriculture

16. It is now time to lay the foundation for our future. Agriculture, as the lead sector to the economic transformation of our country, is the place to start, owing to its potential for high and quick returns on investment. But the situation in the country is wanting and we have a severe food shortage as a result of a prolonged drought in Kenya and the larger Horn of Africa region, the worst in nearly half a century, with three years of failed rain. Coupled with this are the extremely high global fertiliser prices. Our government’s initial intervention to mitigate these challenges has been to step up food supply in northern Kenya and other regions and ensure better coordination between government and development partners. We thank our partners for their input that has gone a long way in relieving the dire situation.

17. World fertiliser prices have more than doubled in the past 2 years since Covid-19. The prices were passed on to farmers, and the cost skyrocketed to more than Ksh7,000 for a 50-kg bag. This had a huge impact on productivity of farmers last year. For example, maize production suffered a deficit of more than 10 million bags. Our government’s first intervention to address the fertiliser challenge and make it available to counties and regions that plant in the short rain season, was to import 1.5 million 50kg bags and distribute them at a lower cost of Ksh3,500. We have also made arrangements to make another 6 million bags of various types of fertiliser available for the long rains season. We have also asked county governments to work with us on last-mile delivery to centres close to farmers.

18. These, however, are short-term measures, and we have to take very bold steps to end the perpetual cycle of hunger and dependency on rain-fed agriculture. We must eradicate hunger in our country in the shortest time possible. To do this, we have the following plans:

1. We have to increase agriculture productivity. We will support all farmers to access quality inputs such as seeds, fertiliser and pesticides, among others and also ensure that our farmers have access to extension services in order to improve farming skills. In the short-term, we will continue with the fertiliser import programme. But in the medium term, the government plans to have fertiliser manufactured in partnership with EAC countries in our region.
2. On seeds, our government will work with local research institutions and both the public and private sectors to scale up seed multiplication for all crops.
3. However, irrigation is the ultimate solution in guaranteeing food security. In 2017, the government set out to build 57 dams to harness water for irrigation and domestic use. Many did not even start, few are complete while the rest are ongoing. The huge capital outlay required for dam construction in the context of competing budgetary priorities, poses a huge challenge to this programme.
4. To address this challenge, we are working on innovative investment mechanisms through public-private partnerships to construct at least 100 dams. Consequently, it would be possible to progressively irrigate the 3 million acres already identified as irrigable land. In the next three years, the government plans to double the land under irrigation to 1.4 million acres. Of these, 200,000 acres will be under rice irrigation and 500,000 under other food crops. Rice production in Bunyala, the Tana Delta, Rohole in Garissa, Mwea and Ahero will take priority.
5. Our dairy farmers struggle with the high cost of feed and challenges of storage, preservation of milk and access to markets. To assure them that they are on our priority list, we have taken immediate steps to reinstate the stalled milk coolers’ programme and the distribution of 650 milk coolers will resume shortly. In our plan, we have identified dairy and livestock economy as sub-sectors with the quickest economic turnaround time and they will become key drivers in improving food security, creating jobs and boosting exports.

President William Ruto greets his Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua at the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens on October 20, 2022. /STATE HOUSE KENYA

Housing

19. We have equally committed to close the housing gap, which stands at 2 million units as at now. Our target is to increase the supply four- fold from 50,000 to 200,000 per year. Already, 2,592 units have been completed, 40,452 are under construction and over 500,000 units that require financial backstopping and funding for bulk infrastructure are in the pipeline.

20. I am happy to report today that the interest in the housing sector has grown immensely and that many private investors, including pension funds, have submitted proposals on the housing projects they would like to invest in. We will work together on these projects to facilitate their realisation.

21. It is clear from engagements with investors that the Government needs to evolve from being a mere enabler to becoming a sponsor of projects. Not only will we provide land and bulk infrastructure, but I will personally take charge of the process to unlock the challenges that inhibit investment. For instance, VAT exemption on inputs has been enacted to lower the cost of construction, but its implementation has been curtailed by delays in approving applications for VAT refunds. As a result, developers pay VAT, but the cost saving is not enjoyed by the end buyers. Government will resolve such issues with the urgency required.

22. Let me emphasise that the housing agenda is not just about four walls and a roof. The demand for affordable housing is an opportunity to create jobs and stimulate the economy. Our manufacturing sector, which already supplies many products in the construction industry, will have expanded business opportunities. Other housing inputs such as doors, windows, gates and hinges will be made by our jua kali industry. We are designing the programme in a way that will upgrade and support Jua Kali by linking it with technical and vocational education institutions. In the end, we expect enterprises that produce housing products to emerge or expand, creating jobs and wealth for hustlers, making our housing plan truly transformational from the bottom up.

23. We want to recreate the experience of hardworking Kenyans like John Ochieng, who is present as one of my guests today. I met him two days ago when I handed over keys to new homeowners in Ongata Rongai in Kajiado County under the affordable housing scheme. Ochieng began working as a carpenter in that housing project when it began two years ago; then, home ownership to him was a mere dream. Two years later, he owns an apartment in the same estate. Given that there are developments today that cater to the housing needs of ordinary Kenyans like John, I am convinced that it is possible to provide quality affordable housing for rent and sale, and Ochieng’s story will be replicated multiple times over throughout the country. We, therefore, proceed with the confidence that we will provide quality climate-smart housing that Kenyans can buy with mortgages for as low as Ksh5,000 a month to be made available through various home financing arrangements.

24. Next week on Tuesday, I will break ground at the Kibera Soweto B in Nairobi for a housing project which will deliver thousands of social housing units. Going forward, we intend to collaborate with county governments to achieve a target of at least 5,000 units in every county. Counties with larger metropolitan areas have a greater opportunity and can target as many as 50,000 units since as demand is higher due to population density. We have asked counties to identify land for this Housing program. 

Access to Credit

25. Access to credit is a stimulant that invigorates the economy. However, high interest rates crowd out the private sector, and especially the small and medium enterprises. Our commitment on affordable credit was at the heart of the Kenya Kwanza election campaign. Already, expectations are very high across the country on our promise to provide a fund that will offer affordable credit to those at the bottom of the pyramid. We are aware that the most significant question in the streets, boda boda parking lots and fresh produce markets is: WHEN will the Hustlers Fund become operational? I have an answer for you today.

26. Even before the fund is set up, we have made several interventions to make credit accessible.

1. Safaricom and their financial partners have brought down the cost of Fuliza by reducing interest rates by 50 per cent. As part of that agreement, 4 million borrowers, who had been blacklisted, will be freed from the yoke of the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB), in the coming days. We have also secured an agreement with CRB that it will abandon the punitive penalty of blacklisting borrowers and move to a credit scoring system that makes borrowers eligible for credit even as they work to improve their creditworthiness.

27. As a result, no citizen will be excluded from the credit system. They will, therefore, be eligible to access credit as they work their way out in paying their loans.

28. On the Hustlers Fund, three issues are crucial:

1. Credit products will be available to small businesses on digital platforms at affordable rates to individuals and through chamas, groups, saccos and cooperatives.
2. 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.
3. I will launch this Hustler Fund credit and savings product on the 1st of December this year.

Universal Health Care

29. Health is front and centre of socio-economic development. The failure of a healthcare system undermines prosperity. Kenyan families spend a total of Ksh150 billion in out-of-pocket expenditures on health services a year mobilised from various sources, including harambees, WhatsApp MPESA, loans, sale of land and other assets, to pay hospital bills for loved ones. Also, many small businesses fail when owners fall ill and cannot work, or divert money to pay medical expenses. It is no wonder, then, that it is commonly said that most families and individuals in Kenya are one illness away from poverty. 1 million Kenyans sink into poverty every year because of medical expenses.

30. We want to lift this punitive burden from the shoulders of Kenyans and their businesses through our universal health care plan. The plan is to revitalise primary healthcare by laying more emphasis on preventive and promotive strategies. Many critical health illnesses, including cancer, heart complications, kidney failure and hypertension, can be detected and addressed at this level without the need for a hospital visit or admission.

31. Our health reform commitment is, therefore, three-fold:

1. In partnership with county governments, we will mainstream community health workers and make them the foundation of our healthcare system.
2. Reforming the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) is a necessary imperative. Progress has been made in enrolling more members. In the past 10 years, 12 million Kenyans have joined the fund. The challenge, however, is that the NHIF is an occupational scheme for salaried people on payroll in the public and private sectors, and not the social insurance scheme it ought to be. We shall change the contribution structure from an individual contributory scheme to a household contribution model.
3. We intend to address the challenge of inadequate human resources in the public hospitals and the poor industrial relations between health professionals and county governments. We are particularly committed to the professional development of health workers. I take this opportunity to assure health workers that we have listened to them and we will propose ways, in collaboration with county governments, of resolving their outstanding issues.

Digital Superhighway

32. Kenya is a strong leader in the information, communication and technology space. We are the proud regional and continental hub of innovation. We have the appropriate policy framework, constitutionally protected freedoms of expression, media, information and communication to dominate the creative arts and entertainment arena.

33. Our youth have consistently shown robust interest in this field and are engaged on various platforms, generating captivating content that is appreciated globally. There is tremendous potential for our country to become a global leader, employ hundreds of thousands of young people and generate immense wealth if we facilitate the young people to plug into the global digital economy.

34. To achieve these purposes, the government is committed to invest in the digital superhighway and the creative economy, which will be enablers of transformation, productivity and overall competitiveness. Over the next 5 years, the government will ensure universal broadband availability through the roll-out of connectivity throughout the country. The laying out of an additional 100,000km of the national fibre-optic network is expected to deliver this target.

35. Government services shall be made available throughout the country at greater convenience to citizens through digitisation and automation of all critical government processes, with a view to bringing at least 80 per cent of all government services online.

36. Moreover, to bring more Kenyans, especially the youth online for business, learning, entertainment and socialisation, the government intends to take measures to bring down the cost of calls and data. This initiative converges with the efforts to boost the creative economy and scale up cultural production and the arts industry.

37. Our government is also committed to the establishment of more arts and culture infrastructure, including theatres, music auditoriums and art galleries, and extensive refurbishing of facilities to expand spaces for artistic and cultural expression and production.

A Kenyan holding up President William Ruto's portrait at the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens on October 20, 2022. /STATE HOUSE KENYA

38. The government is also firmly committed in investing in the robust delivery of the five pillars of our plan for socio-economic transformation. This investment is undertaken in full recognition of national values and principles of governance as well as broader national interests and goals. They include policy, legislative and regulatory framework, national security, justice, law and order and education.

Rule of Law

39. There are parts of this country where personal safety and security are precarious, and life expectancy is low. Poverty and the cost of living are high because markets and supply chains have been disrupted or threatened by insecurity. The well-being of residents in these areas is as paramount as that of every other citizen of Kenya. They, too, deserve to live and work in safety and dignity, and to pursue happiness without let or hindrance. And yet terrorists, bandits, cattle rustlers and all manner of violent criminals have wreaked havoc on their lives for far too long. Criminals have held them back, extinguishing or deferring far too many hopes and dreams as the rest of the country progresses.

40. It is time for this lawlessness to stop for good. Our Government has undertaken necessary personnel realignments in the security services to facilitate the rapid achievement of our objectives. On my first day in office, I executed the instrument to actualise the financial autonomy of the National Police Service, and have given the necessary directives to enable it rapidly achieve national security strategic objectives. These actions extend to the facilitation of the Director of Criminal Investigations to expeditiously resolve investigations to a standard that can support effective prosecution and secure conviction.

41. The independence of the National Police Service is essential for its institutional credibility and efficiency, citizen safety and welfare, and effective maintenance of law and order. A professional police service fosters harmonious relationships with citizens and communities, cannot be weaponised in pursuit of divisive or partisan agenda and can never resort to disastrous policies like extra-judicial murder as part of policing. I believe we can keep this country safe and secure without tormenting our people. We can efficiently and effectively suppress crime, monitor, disrupt and apprehend criminals without abducting, torturing, killing or causing citizens to disappear.

• It is time to retire these terrible tactics and professionalise our criminal justice system. That is why our government is taking strong measures to facilitate the enhancement of capacities along the chain. I have directed that immediate measures be undertaken to disband the Special Services Unit in the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and with urgency investigations must commence so that those found culpable are held accountable. There must also be robust mechanisms throughout the police service to maintain high professional standards, scrupulous adherence to the rule of law, accountability for actions and decisions and operational transparency.

42. At the terminal end of this chain, the government has undertaken its obligations to observe judicial independence while actualising the Judiciary Fund, enhancing budgetary allocation to enable it invest in infrastructure and facilitate the appointment of more judges to expand access to justice. Effective deterrence of crime requires robust prosecution, while economic efficiency, investor confidence and competitiveness all depend on effective dispute resolution. A well-resourced, independent, impartial and thoroughly professional judiciary is indispensable for good governance, law and order and is also essential for financial sustainability, transactional effectiveness and business competitiveness.

43. The institutional independence of the judiciary must be upheld at all times, and the independence of judges respected as the minimum gesture of respect for the rule of law.

44. The fight against corruption must be won. Our government intends to wage this fight and demonstrate its commitment to zero tolerance to corruption by making all public servants accountable, and submitting to the oversight of Parliament and other constitutionally mandated institutions. We are committed to the rule of law, fidelity to constitutional due process and implementation of judicial decrees and orders. Most critically, under my administration, there shall be no interference with, or any attempts to control, direct or undermine independent institutions, including those in the justice, law and order sector. The National Police Service, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Judiciary and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission shall perform their duties independently and professionally, and likewise subject themselves to oversight by appropriate agencies. This is our vision for ensuring that the war on corruption is not itself corrupted by inappropriate interventions.

Education

45. For our socio-economic transformation to be truly inclusive, we must empower all Kenyans, regardless of background, to effectively play their part by contributing to the nation-building effort, and partaking of the dividends of shared prosperity. High-quality and relevant education is vital in imparting the necessary skills and competencies to learners from pre-primary to the tertiary level, in order to enable citizens to engage meaningfully with the world of the present and the future.

46. A week ago, we launched the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms to review all aspects of education in Kenya. Its findings and recommendations shall inform subsequent necessary intervention to ensure that Kenya delivers the calibre of education, skills and training needed to successfully pursue sustainable development.

Climate Change

47. We are concerned about climate change and its impact on Kenya generally and our arid and semi-arid regions in particular. We will address the effects of this phenomenon and its ravaging effects at home and abroad. Our pastoralist communities have experienced scarcity of pasture due to a prolonged drought, the worst in 40 years, and three years of absolute rain failure. As a result, we have lost 2.5 million head of livestock owing to drought. Rising food prices have made an already bad situation worse. Elsewhere, communities in rural and urban areas across the country are equally struggling under the weight of high food prices and shortages of water.

48. Without a doubt, climate change is complicating our roadmap towards socio-economic transformation and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

49. As we seek short-term measures to respond to the evolving situation, I have directed that a long-term and sustainable solution to the planetary challenges be put in place. The ultimate solution includes greening our country to more than 30 per cent of tree cover by 2032.

50. The central role forests play in addressing the effects of climate change has become more prominent now than ever before, thanks to their unparalleled capacity to absorb, store carbon and regulate climate. Of the 59.2 million hectares land area in Kenya, only 5.2 hectares are under forest cover. The remaining 54 million hectares are largely in arid and semi-arid lands.

51. The 10 counties with the highest forest cover are Nyeri, Lamu, Vihiga, Kirinyaga, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Meru, Embu, Murang’a, Kilifi and Nyandarua. On the reverse, the 10 counties with the lowest tree cover are Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Isiolo, Siaya, Migori, Busia, Machakos, Taita-Taveta and Uasin Gishu. I call upon the Council of Governors to facilitate more discussions to achieve parity in tree cover by using peer-to-peer learning and exchange of information. The government will champion the transformation of forestry and rangeland restoration to support the greening of Kenya so as to combat climate change.

52. We are at the final stages of designing a Special Presidential Forestry and Rangeland Restoration Programme. This effort is spearheaded by the ministry of environment and Forestry, various experts and partners in government, UN organisations, NGOs and academia. The objective is to grow 5 billion trees in the next 5 years, and an additional 10 billion trees by 2032. This will eventually lead to the rehabilitation and restoration of 10.6 million hectares in the 290 constituencies, as well as some specially selected ecosystem and water towers threatened by degradation and destruction.

53. To achieve this ambitious PLAN, the Government will continue to support efforts by the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) in high-quality tree seed production in their 18 Tree Seeds Centers countrywide.

54. Agro-forestry and farming of avocados, mangoes and macadamia will also open new value chains for our export market, creating new green jobs in the sector. I, therefore, urge all Kenyans to support the government’s call to grow at least 15 billion trees in the next 10 years. To achieve this target, every Kenyan should grow 300 trees.

55. Reforestation in the presidential programme will be undertaken by youth and women groups, civil society, community and religious organisations, leveraging on the private sector and government financing. To ensure sustainable funding, Kenya is developing policies and strategies to tap into the global carbon market opportunities, accessible through carbon trading.

56. Additionally, the Government will secure and protect public forests, and rehabilitate and restore all degraded water towers and other forest ecosystems across the country. We will work towards fencing all fragile water towers and other ecosystems to protect them from encroachment. To resolve the capacity constraints at the Kenya Forestry Service, I have directed the immediate recruitment of an additional 2,700 forest rangers and 600 forest officers to augment our interventions in this sector.

57. Shortly, I will also be inaugurating the Climate Change Council that will steer Kenya’s climate action through stakeholder engagements coordinated in the presidency, as required by the Climate Change Act, 2016.

58. Under the programme, we will start mobilising finance from public, private and multilateral sources, to fund the proposed activities. This is anchored on the United Nations goals and backed by the Tree Growing and Sustainable Forestry Finance Management Programme, supported UN and other international institutions. The programme also responds to Kenya’s commitments to help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions articulated in various multilateral environmental agreements, and the United Nations Decade of Action on Ecosystem Restoration. Kenya will rally the globe towards more ambitious climate action in next month’s 27th UN Climate Change Conference, at Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt.

59. In an increasingly interconnected world, our well-being depends on the engagement with our neighbours, continental fraternity and international partners. In all these arenas, Kenya has continued to be a dependable ally, faithful friend and effective partner, ever committed to win-win bilateral as well as multilateral outcomes, that achieve mutual gains for the benefit of humanity.

60. In the East African Community, the rigid territorial borders are firmly on the way out, as we move towards full integration. Non-tariff barriers have come down, and trade volumes have soared. The community is becoming even more tightly connected with infrastructure systems crisscrossing the member countries. The possibility of an East African Federation is no longer a wild imagination or an idle dream. It is no longer a matter of if, it is a matter of when.

61. In recent days, I have been to our sister countries in East Africa to take care of mutually beneficial regional business. In Ethiopia, we launched Safaricom Ethiopia telecoms’ money business, which expanded Safaricom and Mpesa’s regional footprint, dispersing ICT innovation and deepening the revenue base of the company. Simultaneously, Safaricom became the largest foreign investor in Ethiopia, and Kenya’s biggest foreign investor abroad.

62. The East African Community has become a close-knit neighbourhood, and everyone’s well-being has become everybody’s business. With this unity and integration, we will achieve much in our lifetime. And with these bonds of solidarity and fraternity, we shall establish an oasis of hope and infinite possibility that will be irresistible to the whole world.

63. In the Horn of Africa, peace and security efforts continue to dominate our engagement. They are important components of a broader strategy to recover stability in what has become a truly rough neighbourhood. Countering violent extremism, controlling the illegal movement of small arms, peace-building and peace-keeping initiatives will continue to dominate the agenda.

64. The conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia which, according to reports from the office of the United Nations secretary-general, is escalating, is a great source of concern for our region. Kenya shall continue to play its role by making such contributions as is required of us, by the Africa Union-sponsored mediation efforts. The sooner hostilities cease and face-to-face talks commence, the better for our region.

65. The region is experiencing its 5th season of severely low rain due to climate change. As a result, mitigation strategies, resilience-building initiatives and climate change management programmes have become urgent. The pressure on the capacity of regional States has never been greater.

66. On the continental stage, we have sustained our Pan- African credentials since the dawn of African unity. That is why various frameworks of the African Union find expression in our domestic agenda. The AU’s Agenda 2063, for example, is part of our economic development plan.

67. Kenya is committed to the pursuit of trade-driven pan-Africanism as the best means of rapidly delivering shared prosperity throughout our continent. As we open up our borders and expand the scope of collaboration beyond traditional economic blocs, the reality of a continental free market has become a reality.

68. Kenya is a champion of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, AfCTA. Beyond ratifying the instruments establishing it and domesticating its framework, Kenya has been a consistent participant in efforts to make this continental agreement a reality. We see this as the pathway that guarantees inclusive African economic growth and sustainable self-reliance. In turn, this will hasten our continent’s post-pandemic recovery, enhance climate change resilience and underpin stability in the face of multiple regional and global crises, including energy volatility.

69. Our implementation strategy envisions pan-African free trade as a vehicle for empowering small and medium enterprises.

70. To signal this commitment, I recently flagged off a symbolic consignment of KETEPA tea to Ghana under the Guided Trading Initiative. Trade between Ghana and Kenya is off to an admirable start and several firms and traders in the two countries have undertaken brisk business, involving exports of incinerators, sisal fibre, leather bags, fuel filters, beadworks and baskets from jua kali artisans. This points to the huge potential of trade across the continent

71. Beyond our continent, Kenya continues to pursue a robust policy of economic diplomacy. We are continuously aligning our strategic interests with the welfare of our people. Therefore, we are focused on finding opportunities for our people and deeper trade relations around the globe. We are receiving encouraging returns on our efforts. This week, our international port at Lamu scored a shining first, with the export of livestock from northern Kenya to the Sultanate of Oman. This signals the opening up of tremendous opportunities for the pastoralists in our rangeland communities who deserve relief from the devastating losses of ravaging drought.

72. We also remain devoted to our strategic engagements with key development partners like the United States, which is now Kenya’s premier trading partner, as well as the United Kingdom - which for long held that position - the European Union, Middle Eastern nations, the Far East, including China and Japan, and, indeed, many other parts of the world.

73. Kenya’s diplomacy is deliberately shifting into emerging opportunities. We are prepared to exploit the potential of the blue economy and the fast-evolving digital universe to position our young generation as competitive global players.

74. Kenya’s commitment to multilateralism is a fundamental plank of our diplomatic strategy and foreign policy. This has defined our international outlook since the advent of self-government and full sovereignty. We have hosted several multilateral institutions and aspire to receive more. Kenya has participated in many multilateral undertakings, including humanitarian missions, international peacekeeping and pandemic responses.

75. We join other nations of the Global South to advocate the democratisation of global governance, and to invest in the multilateral system with higher moral imagination. We believe that global governance must reflect the values it claims to advance and protect.

76. To effectively drive our diplomacy and international engagement, Kenya has unified and clarified its policy in our Vision 2030 and our government’s 5-Pillar Plan for socio-economic transformation, the 5th East African Community Development Strategy, AU Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The purpose of this alignment is to ensure that we forge a path for the achievement of our objectives of enhancing the well-being of humanity.

77. We have warned the international community about the global fertiliser shortage and the risk it poses to global food shortage. Whether we are speaking at the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, or the UN Oceans Conference in Lisbon, our commitment to enhancing climate change responses is strong and vocal.

78. Kenya advocates post-pandemic solidarity on a global scale to avert an economic crisis in the wake of Covid-19 by mobilising international partnership and cooperation for recovery and resilience. This extends to the need to ease the debt burden of economically vulnerable developing countries and to afford them liquidity and fiscal space to manage shocks, enhance social investment, invest in climate change adaptation and mitigation, address security needs and finance development.

79. As an anchor state in Eastern Africa and the Horn, Kenya has sustained its robust efforts to achieve lasting peace and security. We have also used the opportunity to serve at the UN Security Council to give priority to regional peace, counter-terrorism and violent extremism, support peace operations and further the climate and security agenda. We consider these contributions to be critical in building a safe and peaceful world that is safe, and conducive to human flourishing.

80. Government efforts to affirm and project Kenya’s stature globally has always been complemented by the contributions of Kenyan citizens who live and work in various parts of the world. This demonstrates the complementarity of State and citizen action, and the inevitable alignment between patriotism and national well-being. We are all united in the quest for a Kenya we can all be proud to call home. Our diaspora continues to serve as Kenya’s excellent ambassadors along with our sports people and the Kenyans who continue to excel abroad in diverse fields. You make us proud and, in so doing, demonstrate the true spirit of uShujaa.

81. Kenya is a good neighbour, true friend, loyal ally, dependable partner and hardworking member of the international community. It lives up to its strong value system, fluently articulating the ideals of compassion, solidarity, justice, freedom and sovereignty. As a nation, we project and amplify values and principles familiar to each one of us, and which form the heart of our constitutional system. Greater fidelity to the Constitution and better compliance with its mandates and principles will not only make us better citizens and worthy patriots, it will make Kenya a stronger nation. We, therefore, have a duty to respect, uphold and defend the Constitution. The nation-building enterprise enlists all citizens to recognise their stake in making and keeping Kenya great. Patriotism is a bottom-up affair.

82. We are called upon to stand firmly on our values and strengthen our resolve to wage war on poverty and inequality by pursuing inclusive growth. Our aim is to remove all obstacles and bring down every barrier to progress. By celebrating our values, we honour our heroes. Every act of nation-building is an expression of these values, and a most appropriate remembrance of those who began our journey towards sovereignty, freedom and happiness.

83. This is a time for action. The opportunities to contribute to this historic project are limitless. It is time for us as citizens to play our part in making the Kenya we imagine come true and to turn the nation we dream of into our lived experience. This moment calls for the exercise all our abilities, talents, gifts, skills and strengths in pursuit of national as well as personal self-actualisation. It demands that we demonstrate the patriotism of a new age and express the timeless values, which unite us with our heroes and heroines.

84. We are endowed with far greater capacity today than ever in our history to pursue and accomplish major feats. Our predecessors, with far modest means, nevertheless scored monumental triumphs. There is absolutely no ceiling on our dreams, no limit to our determination, and no barrier to our collective power. Nothing stops us from becoming what we wish to be, and nothing can stand in the way of our resolve to drive Kenya to its destiny of glory and abundance.

85. I stand here, therefore, on this sacred ground where we first raised our proud flag at the dawn of freedom, where we made a covenant to honour their glorious triumph and fine example by embracing their values and serving our nation, to rally every Kenyan to rise up. This is our moment to get up, work hard, take our chances, chase our dreams, knock on doors and explore possibilities, because the horizon of our destiny is draped in the splendour of our vision, and before us lies the potential of a magnitude never before imagined. It is all ours for the taking, and I know we are ready, for it is our time.

86. Happy Mashujaa Day. May our heroes continue to inspire us, and may our national values ever remain the True North of our moral compass.

Miguna Miguna at the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens on October 20, 2022. /STATE HOUSE KENYA

Honourable Speakers,

Honourable Members,

1. It is my pleasure to address the inaugural session of the 13th Parliament following the August 9 General Election.

2. It is important to note that we have made very positive progress. This Parliament has recorded the highest number of re-elected MPs ever. In the National Assembly, a record 193 members have been re-elected, 50 more than in 2017, while in the Senate, 17 senators have been re-elected. It confirms the increased confidence of the people of Kenya in their leaders and institutions, affirming the maturity of our democracy.

3. Another milestone is in the election of women legislators elected into single-member constituencies. In this year’s election, 29 women were elected members of the National Assembly, six more than in 2017. This is a manifestation of the growing confidence in the contribution of women leadership in decision-making in our governance and political institutions. I am certain that this positive trend will continue into the future.

4. It is also instructive that the same confidence in Parliament has been shown in the Executive. In 2013, the President was elected with at least 25 per cent of votes in 30 counties, 34 in 2017 and 39 in the just-concluded election, further demonstrating the deepening pluralism and inclusivity of our democracy.  

5. I, therefore, take this special opportunity to congratulate all of you on your election in the last General Election and subsequent nominations.  

6. The confidence demonstrated by Kenyans in us and our institutions should inspire us to raise the bar in our service to the nation and accountability to the electorate. 

7. It is also my singular honour to congratulate our Speakers, the Honourable Moses Wetang’ula and Honourable Amason Kingi, for the overwhelming confidence bestowed on them by members to preside over the respective Houses. I also congratulate members who have been elected to parliamentary leadership positions and wish each one of you wisdom, strength and success in steering our legislative affairs.

8. We gather here on the tranquil side of a competitive election where we all came to grips with the turbulent energies of political competition that characterise our uniquely Kenyan brand of democracy. It is true this election was an intensely contested one. Nevertheless, that it was peaceful and democratic, again confirms the coming of age of our democracy.

9. I submit to you, that the fact that the election was so close is an indication that what unites us is always much greater than what divides us. With the support of Kenyans, we have dislodged ethnicity as the central organising principle of our politics, thereby retiring – for good - the ethnic mobilisation and personality cults, together with their culture and practices of exclusion, discrimination, patronage, tribalism and nepotism.

10. We took this assignment further, with a paradigm shift of issue-based political leadership anchored in credible platforms, feasible programs and transformative commitments aimed at positively affecting the well-being of all Kenyans, from the bottom up.

11. In summary, and this only happens in Kenya, the sitting Deputy President became the candidate of the Opposition and the Leader of the Opposition became the candidate of the government, and as things would be, the opposition candidate won the election and became President and the President became the leader of the opposition party. That’s the beauty of our democracy.

12. In the process, we affirmed the sovereignty of the people of Kenya as the ultimate decision-makers as envisaged in the constitution.

13. I promised to lead an administration dedicated to the just and fair government of all Kenyans, in order to deliver a Kenya for everyone. I commit to being the loyal, hard-working, devoted President of every Kenyan, and my administration will serve all, without regard to any distinction, real or imagined. Certainly, service delivery under my administration shall be impartial regardless of political affiliation or voter preference. Kenya is our home, and we remain united as one strong family.

14. For these reasons, I want to persuade you that the legislative agenda I stand here to prosecute deserves the bi-partisan support of this House. My administration is pursuing a transformational program that offers a uniquely all-Kenyan moment which calls for unity of purpose in the legislature. We are committed to serving all people, in all wards of each constituency and all counties in every region, throughout the Republic of Kenya. After all, we all serve the same boss: the people and their sovereign interests are our operating principle and purpose.

15. I will run an administration that is open, that is transparent, and my administration will rely on oversight from this House to make sure the public gets value for every cent invested in every policy, program and project.

16. Consequently, I ask Parliament to consider a mechanism in the Standing Orders to facilitate Cabinet Secretaries articulate government agenda, explain policy and answer questions on the floor of the House to enhance executive accountability to the people of Kenya through their elected representatives. On this matter of oversight and holding government accountable, my administration commits to restoring the place of Parliament in our democracy by respecting the autonomy and oversight authority of Parliament on the executive.

17. Equally, I am a firm believer in democracy and the rule of law. That is why my first executive action when I took office was to undo a legacy of acts and omissions that had incrementally undermined the independence of the Judiciary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Judiciary is an arm of government just like this Parliament, and my administration will be intentional in respecting the constitutionally mandated system of checks and balances.

18. It is in this spirit that I will be seeking additional resources to support the bottom-up scaling of justice and empower the Judiciary to acquire capacity and develop the infrastructure needed to more efficiently adjudicating and expeditiously conclude corruption cases, commercial disputes and all other matters.

Honourable Speakers,  Honourable Members,

19. To implement the pledges and commitments set out in our ‘PLAN’, my administration is committed to investing in the requisite enablers and infrastructure to provide a sound foundation for its execution. These are interventions intended to create a conducive environment for the effective, efficient and sustainable realisation of our national transformation.

20. We are on a mission to dramatically scale up productivity in agriculture and make sure that every Kenyan farmer, fisherman and pastoralist contributes to sustainable economic growth by contributing to adequate and affordable food, generating greater incomes and producing the raw materials required by the agro-industrial and manufacturing value chains. This will boost Kenya’s export performance, and create millions of jobs.

21. Consequently, we have been deliberate in our efforts to restore sanity and introduce greater responsibility in the management of public resources. One significant intervention is the resolve to abandon consumption subsidies in favour of supporting and investing in production. This is why we have made available fertilizer for our farmers at cheaper rates of Ksh3,500 per 50 kg bag down from Ksh6,500. We are exploring further mechanisms to bring these prices down.

22. We have an obligation to redeem our pledge to our small traders; the hawker, mama mboga, kinyozi, makanga, that every person who sells any good or service, gets to work, and earns a decent livelihood enough to place them on the path to wealth, through saving and investment. The Hustler Economy has to flourish and form the foundation of broader economic transformation while catalysing the widening of the national revenue base. Our agenda here is to take necessary measures to create an enabling environment for business people to thrive and decriminalise enterprise.

23. Affordable credit makes a huge difference in the rate of business growth. Access to affordable credit is like a magic formula. The current Credit Reference Bureau approach of blacklisting debtors is zero-sum, punitive and has arbitrarily locked millions of businesses out of the credit system. It is time to shift the formula to a credit scoring system, which allows lenders to apply customer segmentation and at the same time end the stigma of blacklisting.

24. We have held productive conversations with operators of the Fuliza and M-Shwari platforms on the modalities of reducing their lending rates. I am happy to report today that yesterday, our engagement finally culminated in an undertaking by the platform operators to reduce the cost of credit by about 40 per cent. This is a significant step towards unlocking billions of shillings needed to spur economic activity by once again expanding financial inclusion.

25. My administration will allocate Kshs50 billion every year to the Hustlers Fund from which micro, small, and medium enterprises can access affordable credit to start and expand their businesses. We will leverage technology in the management and disbursement of the Hustler Fund. 

26. There is a tremendous opportunity for this House to fully take up its role in resolving the systemic issues that limit access to affordable homes and affordable financing. This administration will unlock housing for the nation by supporting :

(i) the provision of land for affordable housing; and

(ii) providing access to cheap and stable funding. These two measures will allow us to undertake mass housing production, and thereby shape our approach to urban development and spatial planning, which unlike before, will deliver sustainable and inclusive human settlement.

27. I also wish to express our intention to bring to this House legislative proposals to provide a framework for a housing off-take plan, which will create incentives for developers to invest more money into our housing strategy on the strength of guaranteed off-take of the completed units.

28. To actualise the enabling infrastructure, we intend to take the following measures: A Public-Private-Partnership funding framework is envisaged for large capital projects. In order to achieve our target of raising access to water from the current 60 per cent to 80 per cent, KSh500 billion is required. The Government can provide this gradually, but the private sector can mobilise it all at once. We will thus adopt a PPP framework by entering into water purchase agreements with investors. This way, we will achieve water for all in less than a decade.

29. Concerning electricity, we shall facilitate the development of innovative and effective modalities to provide better off-grid systems, including enabling consumers to form small cooperatives for that purpose.

30. In health, we are bound by duty to take measures to make Universal Health Coverage a reality and liberate Kenyans and their families from the threat of harrowing poverty that stalks them every time a family member falls seriously ill. In our plan, and through your support, we will restructure our primary healthcare system so that we put more resources into promotive, preventive and early diagnosis of diseases.

31. A key driver to this realisation is the National Health Insurance Fund, whose restructuring is not only necessary for efficiency but also enables it to become a fit-for-purpose social insurance scheme that caters for all, including chronic diseases.

32. Digital technologies have become a critical player in economic growth. We will capitalise on existing technology and innovation in the public and private sectors to distribute the Hustler Fund as promised in our Plan. I call upon financial institutions and our young people in innovation hubs to participate in the digital economy by redesigning their products to serve the goal of empowering millions armed with grand ideas and are only waiting for the fund to finance their dreams to reality

Honourable Speakers, Honourable Members,

33. I have news, and it is not very good news. Our financial situation is not very good. 

34. For Kenya to grow into an upper middle-income country, we need to invest at least 25 per cent of our GDP. Our current national savings rate is below 10 per cent of our GDP which translates to an investment-savings deficit of 15 per cent of GDP. 

35. Over the last decade, we have sought to close this gap with public borrowing. This year alone, we budgeted to borrow Ksh900 billion to finance both development and recurrent expenditure. 

36. The Government should never borrow to finance recurrent expenditure. This is not right, prudent or sustainable, it is simply wrong. We must bring ourselves back to sanity. 

37. Over the next three years, we must reverse this and go back to the situation where the government contributes to the national savings effort by keeping recurrent expenditure below revenue. To this end, I have instructed National Treasury to work with ministries to find savings of Ksh300 billion in this year's budget. Next year, we will bring it further down so that, by the third year, we have a recurrent budget surplus. 

38. On the revenue side, I am committed and determined to ensure that our tax system is responsive to the needs of the economy. It must be equitable, efficient and customer-friendly. The economic principles of equitable taxation require that the tax burden reflects the ability to pay. This is best achieved by a hierarchy that taxes wealth, consumption, income and trade in that order of preference. Our tax regime currently falls far short of this. We are over-taxing trade and under-taxing wealth. We will be proposing tax measures that begin to move us in the right direction. 

39. We will also work with the Kenya Revenue Authority on a culture change to make it a people-friendly, customer-centric organisation. I am of the view that we should rename it the Kenya Revenue Service in line with the proposed transformation.

40. The very large Government borrowing requirement has also undermined the business sector's contribution to the national savings and investment effort. These measures outlined above will also address the problem of the government crowding out the private sector from the credit market. It will encourage banks to go back to lending to businesses and also bring down interest rates so that the private sector can also contribute to reducing the savings-investment deficit. 

41. In many countries, social security and particularly the pension system contribute significantly to national savings. Our current social security infrastructure, both public, that is NSSF, and private only caters for people in formal employment, thereby excluding the vast majority of working Kenyans. There is no retired Kenyan today who is living on their NSSF retirement benefits. The meagre current contribution of Ksh200 a month adds up to Ksh72,000 over 30 years. There is no rate of return on earth that can grow this into an adequate pension.

42. Not surprisingly, many Kenyans scramble to provide for themselves by investing in 50 by 100 plots of land, thereby exacerbating the problem of land fragmentation, price inflation as well as land fraud. 

43. We intend to overhaul our social security infrastructure to make it inclusive. To encourage those excluded to save, I will be proposing a national savings drive to encourage those in the informal sector to set up their retirement savings plan. For every two shillings saved in the scheme, up to a maximum of Ksh6,000 a year, the government will contribute one shilling.

44. As part of the response to the ongoing drought, we have embarked on the distribution of relief supplies to 3.5 million Kenyans who are affected by drought in 23 arid and semi-arid counties. The ultimate solution to the drought cycle in our country is the mitigation of climate change and its adverse effects. We must act urgently to keep global heating levels below 1.5 degrees centigrade, help those in need, promote the use of renewable energy and thus end addiction to fossil fuels

Honourable Speakers,  Honourable Members,

45. I know the contribution the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has made in making life better for our citizens. Having served in Parliament for 15 years, before and after the establishment of NG-CDF, I know the difference it makes is monumental. I believe there is a way NG-CDF can be aligned to the tenets of the Constitution. In this regard, I also hasten to add that both Houses should also be adequately resourced for oversight duties. 

46. With regard to the Senate and its constitutional mandate, I believe the two Houses should work together to set up the Senate Oversight Fund. This will be used to provide oversight over millions allocated to counties.

Honourable Speakers,  Honourable Members,

47. The people of Kenya rightly expect much of us. We have our work cut out for us. This is our chance to achieve real change by working together to make Kenya a land of equal opportunity for all that every Kenyan is proud to call home. 

Let us all play our part in the service of our employers, the people of Kenya. God bless you, and God bless the great people of Kenya.

I THANK YOU.

Mr. President of this 77th session of the UN General Assembly, Your Excellency Csaba Körösi, Secretary General of the United Nations, Your Excellency Antonio Guterres, Excellencies, distinguished delegates; I am grateful for the immense privilege to join Your Excellencies in this distinguished Assembly; a privilege made possible by a peaceful, democratic transition following free and fair elections in Kenya on 9th August, 2022.

Elections that not only stand as testimony of the universal power of democracy, but also of the manifest ability of African peoples to invest in stronger nations and a secure future.

Robust constitutions, effective institutions, and the impartial administration of the rule of law guarantees the achievement of shared aspirations.

This 77th session of the UN General Assembly comes at a unique moment when the entire world is struggling with multiple grave challenges that include regional conflicts, the Covid-19 pandemic, the triple planetary crises, food insecurity and the rising cost of living.

President William Ruto during a U.S. - Kenya Executive Business Roundtable, New York on September 20, 2022. /FACEBOOK

I take this opportunity to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your election to preside over this Session, and to express my confidence that your wealth of experience, offers us significant assurance of your good leadership. Your motto: ”Solutions through Solidarity, Sustainability and Science” succinctly captures with particular resonance the urgent imperatives of our time. I assure you of Kenya’s firm support and cooperation during your tenure.

I further take this opportunity to commend your predecessor, His Excellency Abdulla Shahid, for his bold steps in steering the United Nations community and for ensuring its business continuity under the unprecedented circumstances occasioned by multiple global threats such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

Excellencies, Human well-being is under grave threat. The health of the planet requires urgent attention. The immense pressure exerted by conventional threats such as climate change, the global food crisis, terrorism, cybercrime and armed conflict has been compounded by unprecedented devastating disruptions due to Covid-19. I express my approval of the theme for this session, “A Watershed Moment: Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges” because it boldly signals the window of opportunity we now have to escalate our engagement, from firm consensus to decisive action.

In many respects, the Covid-19 pandemic stripped us of many illusions and exposed stark justice and solidarity deficits in the face of existential crisis. It brought into sharp focus the global economy’s two-lane highway, repressively patrolled by a rising tide of exclusionist nationalism. A specter that undermines prospects of collective action and significantly impairs the resolve of the international community to guarantee fundamental rights, including safety and dignity of the world’s vulnerable majority.

It is for this reason that many nations, especially from the Global South, now advocate for the democratization of global governance and a re-imagined multilateralism that is inclusive and works for the good of all. Kenya stands ready to work with other nations to achieve the pan-africanization of multilateralism and a more just and inclusive system of global governance.

It is important to reflect on these matters as we do our best to get our people, enterprises, and industries back on their feet so that the engine of development can power our societies towards prosperity that actually leaves no one behind. Building Back Better is the universal rallying call to incorporate lessons learnt into doing more, in a better way to recover from the shock. I suggest that we have a golden opportunity to faithfully adhere to this motto by augmenting it, in word and in deed, with an additional “B”: Building Back Better, from the Bottom.

Building back better from the bottom upwards is, essentially, about including the marginalized working majority in the economic mainstream. The bottom billion relentlessly wage their daily battle for survival in a a crowded arena characterized by scarcity of opportunity and generally precarious existence. The ingenuity, optimism, resilience and energy in this ever bustling bottom is sometimes called hustling.

Invisible to policy makers and beyond the reach of many public services, these hustlers take nothing for granted, surviving overwhelming odds, and frequently succeeding greatly. In the words of Abraham Lincoln,“things may come to those who wait, but only things left behind by those who hustle.” It is time to bolster the resilience of our nations; to mainstream these millions through deliberate strategies and efforts for economic inclusion; by Building Back Better, from the Bottom-Up.

The interlocking challenges of conflicts, triple planetary crises and the global food crisis have impeded our momentum and obstructed our focus on achieving fundamental transformations towards sustainable development. In the Horn of Africa region, severe drought and disruption of supply chains,due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, have left us food-insecure. Consequently, we  have been constrained to repurpose our strategies to prioritize drought and famine relief, insulating education from disruption and improving social protection and healthcare systems to secure the well-being of our people.

Many countries now bear witness to the unsettling phenomena of rivers, canals and water reservoirs that are drying up on account of droughts and heat waves occasioned by climate change. Kenya is no exception. The northern, arid and semi-arid rangelands of our country have been gravely impacted by drought, whose severity has not been experienced in 40 years. 3.1 million residents of these ASALs are now severely food-insecure on account of scarce rainfall over three consecutive seasons, leading to poor crop and pasture. This unprecedented confluence of intensely adverse events has exacerbated water scarcity and starvation, worsened by rising food prices, thus complicating Kenya’s roadmap towards delivering good quality of life to our citizens, and hindering the progress to achieving SDG 6 and SDG 2.

Severe drought has affected not only the Horn of Africa and the Sahel regions, but continues to devastate many others, including Asia, Europe and the Americas. If for no other reason, the fact that we all are in this together, must strengthen the case for concerted efforts across the continents. With this in mind, I call on Member States and all relevant stakeholders to demonstrate strong political will and showcase effective cooperation by supporting the most affected countries financially, as well as through sharing land restoration and climate adaptation technologies. It is through collaborations to expand inclusion that we can attain a new paradigm in multilateralism.

The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reminds us that we cannot afford to waste another moment debating the merits of doing something vis-a-vis doing nothing. It will soon be too late to reverse the course of events, and then, even the best possible interventions will not suffice. As leaders, every day is an opportunity to expedite our efforts to confront the triple planetary crisis.

It will be recalled that during the Stockholm+50 meeting, which Kenya had the honor of co-hosting with Sweden, there was consensus from States on the need to act urgently in addressing environmental impacts. Given this agreement, it is deeply concerning that little progress has been made in respect of the needful actions. It is time to collectively contemplate urgent measures needed to implement high-priority actions required to contain ongoing disruptions, as we deliberate on long-term implementation approaches to be undertaken. I fully agree with the Secretary-General’s memorable statement, that “we have a rendezvous with a climate disaster”. I add that we must not be taken by surprise. If indeed forewarned is forearmed, this is our opportunity  to mobilize with tremendous urgency and take action at once.

Excellencies, the agricultural sector has an important part to play in reducing the severity of climate change. A number of practices have a bearing, positive or negative, on various dimensions of the environment. Investing in modern agricultural technology is therefore one important avenue towards tackling prevailing environmental challenges.

Kenya is responding through substantial investment in climate-resilient agriculture. At the core of our 10-year strategy for Agricultural Sector Growth and Transformation are 9 flagships. They include the registration of farmers to direct incentives, improving farmer practices through customized extension services, monitoring of emergency food reserve stocks using a Digital Food Balance Sheet and the use of Early Warning Systems to monitor food supplies and market prices.

Agriculture remains the bedrock of the development of many nations, and will thus continue to hold the key to the creation of equitable and sustainable growth for our people. No country, large or small, has ever attained significant growth without modernizing its agricultural sector. And as we rededicate ourselves to these targets, we must, in the immediate term, find answers to the severe deficit in the availability, flow and accessibility of fertilizer to our farmers worldwide. I couldn’t agree more with Secretary General Guterres on his warning right here yesterday, that “without action now, the global fertilizer shortage will quickly morph into a global food shortage”.

We are encouraged to note that education, health, agriculture and numerous other public services have become increasingly reliant on digital access. The world needs greater investment in the development of ICT infrastructure, accompanied with policies that support innovation and increased acquisition and deployment of technology. In so doing, we should be driven by the conviction that these measures offer a viable shortcut to poverty reduction and the promotion of inclusive development. I call for stronger global partnerships to enhance ICT infrastructure in developing countries and bridge the yawning digital divide between the global south and the rest of the world.

Excellencies, this 77thsession of the Assembly follows the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Environmental Program - UNEP@50 as well as Stockholm+50 and the 4th United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon. Outcomes of these conferences demanded real commitment to address global environmental concerns as a matter of urgency, and for a just transition to sustainable economies that work for all people.

The March 2022 landmark resolution of the 5thUnited Nations Environmental Assembly in Nairobi to end plastic pollution is a decisive signal that the world is prepared and motivated to act on this menace. Kenya is committed to work closely with other nations to pursue legally binding instruments aimed at bringing an end to plastic pollution. As the host nation to UNEP and the UN-HABITAT, Kenya affirms that these critical United Nations Agencies have an indispensable role in the promotion of environmental sustainability globally, as well asdeveloping socially and environmentally sound and  sustainable cities.

In keeping with its strong commitment to multilateral institutions, Kenya has made available more land for the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON) to facilitate the upgrading of its complex. I take this opportunity to call on Member States to complement this contribution through enhanced financing to adequately modernize the UNON facilities.

Kenya remains a strong advocate for making the sustainable use of Ocean and Blue Economy resources a development priority, holding the firm belief that significantly increased investment in this essential sector can end hunger, reduce poverty, create jobs and spur economic growth. I urge the Secretary-General to continue calling attention to the urgent need to develop this vital sector. In particular, I call on developed countries to invest in sustainable fishing, protect marine ecosystems andshare ocean-based climate solutions with developing countries.

For our part, I am pleased to report that, building on the historic 2018 Sustainable Blue Economy Conference in Nairobi, Kenya is reviewing its National Blue Economy Strategy to strengthen community structures in participatory management of freshwater, coastal and marine resources and ecosystems. The strategy is expected to contribute to our economic development through food and nutrition security, coastal and rural development and income increases along the aquaculture value chains, maritime transport and tourism. We invite development partnerships to invest in Africa towards building capacity to sustainably utilize marine resources. We must rally together to make the best use of Africa’s vast blue resources in developing our economies while meeting our climate targets.

As we look forward to the 27th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - COP27, scheduled for Sharma-El-Sheikh in Egypt, it is logical to expect that Member States will shift their attention towards the development and implementation of frameworks for climate change mitigation. Accomplishment of pending actions by Member States is essential for the implementation work that lies ahead.  I therefore call upon all of us to urgently deliver on all commitments made towards climate financing. On this matter, it is critical to emphasize that we are running out of time.

Over the past decade, Kenya has sustained its aggressive pursuit of rapid socioeconomic transformation through three principal roadmaps. First is the Kenya National Vision 2030; the formal long-term blueprint aimed at transforming Kenya into a newly-industrializing, upper-middle-income country providing high quality of life to all its citizen in a clean and secure environment by 2030. The second has been the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the third, the Sustainable Development Goals. Kenya looks towards tapping into a variety of resources to catalyze the achievement of these interlocking and mutually reinforcing objectives.

The disruption and ensuing crisis due to Covid-19 pandemic compelled us to diversify our focus into new interventions, including an Economic Stimulus Program, a Covid-19 Economic Recovery Strategy and a Covid-19 Social Economic re-engineering Recovery Strategy, all aimed at mitigating the adverse impacts of the pandemic. I confirm that we have done the best of everything we could in the circumstances. Nevertheless, it is not enough. Kenya and the rest of Africa, like other developing countries, are in need of greater international partnership and cooperation to avert economic crisis in the wake of the pandemic.

Developing countries, being heavily burdened by external debt servicing, run the risk of losing development gains due to the shocks inflicted by the pandemic and associated disruptions.I call upon global financial institutions and the international community to take urgent measures and release all existing financial instruments to provide much-needed additional liquidity and secure better fiscal space for developing countries like Kenya, to enhance social investment, support climate change adaptation and mitigation, address security needs and resolve development financing challenges.

On behalf of Kenya, therefore, I join other leaders in calling upon the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other multilateral lenders to extend pandemic-related debt relief to the worst hit countries, especially those affected by the devastating combination of conflict, climate change and COVID-19. Furthermore, I urge the G20 to extend and expand the scope of the common framework to suspend or reschedule debt repayments by middle-income countries during the pandemic recovery period.

At this point, I would like this distinguished assembly to take a moment and consider the peace and security landscape. A landscape currently beset with multiple challenges, yet abounding with considerable opportunities. Our home region of Eastern and Horn of Africa is, in particular, burdened by significant conflicts and changes with implications for the region’s development. We stand on the cusp of vast opportunity for galvanizing confidence building measures to generate and sustain momentum towards sustainable peace.

In its role as an anchor state in the region, Kenya has sustained our investment in diplomatic efforts to find lasting peace in multiple situations within and beyond the region. Although some processes have yielded undeniable successes, challenges remain. I therefore strongly reiterate our call for partnership towards confidence-building measures and urge more concerted efforts towards sustainable peace and stability.

Kenya is currently serving in the United Nations Security Council. I am proud to confirm that our engagement over the last 2 years has prioritized Regional Peace and Security, Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism, Peace Support Operations, Climate and Security as critical contributions to collective efforts to build a safer, more prosperous and peaceful world. I am also proud to state that Kenya has continued to champion closer cooperation between regional mechanisms and the Security Council as an effective means to achieving international peace and security.

Kenya continues to advocate the renewal of the African Union security architecture which draws comparative strength from the highly productive complementarity between the United Nations, the African Union andthe Regional Economic Communities. Working closely with the two elected African Countries of the A3 in the UN Security Council, we are committed to finding a stronger African voice in the Council, and achieving a consensus-driven, rule-based multilateral system. It is our manifest intention to see greater Pan-Africanization of the global agenda in order to make multilateralism work for the people of the world in their diversity. It is time for multilateralism to reflect the voice of the farmers, represent the hopes of villagers, champion the aspirations of pastoralists, defend the rights of fisherfolk, express the dreams of traders, respect the wishes of workers and, indeed,  protect the welfare of all peoples of the Global South.

Let me express the strong collective conviction of my country that the relevance, legitimacy and moral authority of the United Nations will forever remain deficient, undermined by the absence of comprehensive reforms of the United Nations Security Council. We therefore remain firmly committed to reforming the Security Council to make it a more effective, representative and democratic global institution. Given the magnitude and variety of challenges the world continues to confront, a more fit-for-purpose United Nations is urgently needed; one that possesses the legitimacy and efficacy in dealing with threats to international peace and security. A just and inclusive world order cannot be spearheaded by a United Nations Security Council that persistently and unjustly fails the inclusivity criterion. Similarly, threats to democracy will not be credibly resolved by an undemocratic and unrepresentative Security Council. It is vitally important for this critical institution to reflect the values it is entrusted to protect, defend and uphold on behalf of humankind.

We welcome the call by President Biden this morning  for the expansion of the membership of the Security council as a significant step in the right direction and we look forward to building consensus for the actualization of the same.

The Covid-19 pandemic severely disrupted health systems, seriously challenging the implementation of programs that are vital for the realization of health-related Sustainable Development Goals. To place us firmly back on track, and accelerate our progress towards these SDG targets, it is imperative for us to foster sustainable partnerships between Governments, other state actors, the civil society and the private sector. This modality of collective action is particularly vital for building resilient health systems, whose importance in enabling us withstand future pandemics and other health crises can no longer be disputed.

For this reason, Kenya will continue to strongly support the development of a legally binding World Health Organization international instrument to anchor global solidarity and promote equity. The fact of the matter is that the Covid-19 pandemic exposed, for all the world to see, the severe deficit of these critical values in our present multilateral configuration. Global supply chains remained impervious to demand in the Global South generally, and Africa in particular. Unequal access to vaccines underscored this unjust and unequal situation with unforgettable clarity. Whenever human life, security and welfare is in jeopardy, it is immoral to administer interventions through frameworks that are anchored on fundamental inequality.

We are all witnesses to admirable demonstrations of effective solidarity in response to crises in various parts of the world. Our knowledge of the possibility of spontaneous yet resolute global solidarity reinforces the African exception as particularly repugnant. From genocides and civil conflict to famine and pandemics, the African continent is consistently left behind to bear the brunt of weak solidarity and disastrous failure of multilateralism. History indicates the last time that Africa was the focal point of strong and effective multilateral consensus was during the Berlin Conferences of 1884-1885, and the character of the ensuing interventions casts a long shadow to date.

Not to put too fine a point to it, the failure of multilateralism during crises which relegate the people of Africa outside the circle of moral consideration, and normalizes humanitarian neglect and other casual injustices are failures of humanity. Nothing about Africa or its peoples makes it acceptable for this type of failure to persist in this era, and we have an urgent moral duty to do better. And to right this wrong.

For decades, Africa has borne the brunt of three epidemics: the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis (TB) and malaria. I applaud  innovative partnerships like the Global Fund  for their progress in addressing the three menaces, and also welcome the ambitious targets set for the 7th replenishment cycle. Kenya is committed to supporting the Global Fund and implementing the agreed targets in order to actualize our pledge at the replenishment conference.

Kenya calls upon all countries implementing the Global Fund programs, especially fellow African states, to remain at the forefront in championing for successful replenishment of the fund. This  way, the mobilization of much-needed resources is enhanced, bringing us closer to the final elimination of these dangerous diseases.

In conclusion, Kenya joins the Secretary General in calling for the strengthening of multilateralism as the only sustainable path to a peaceful, stable and prosperous world for all. This is the imperative of our time, and the call of this moment. It is time to work on the trust deficit with stronger conviction that none of us is really safe until all of us are safe.

The theme of the 77th Session, “A Watershed moment: Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges” demandsthat we recognize the crises we must confront are  inter-linked in complicated ways. They can only be effectively addressed through more imaginative strategies and innovative formulae. A population of 8 billion people, in a densely networked world increasingly looks up to the multilateral system  as the anchor for their individual aspirations directly, and indirectly through robust national frameworks. Increasingly, therefore, the United Nations system is expected to be responsive to these needs, and for the proceedings in forums like this, to speak to ordinary people in far flung reaches of our incredibly diverse globe. It is impossible to address all their individual needs directly, but it is possible to respond to all of them by speaking with conviction to the universal values of equality, inclusion, justice, solidarity and collective action, and by making sure that all our interventions effectively reflect them with clarity.

The integrity of the international order must be measured by the distance separating our resolutions, consensus and agreement from decisive actions, committed interventions and effective solutions. A watershed moment, therefore, demands that we reduce that gap drastically, and quickly.

Kenya pursues numerous essential domestic agenda through the multilateral framework. We are heavily invested in the strength, effectiveness and eventual success of all interventions formulated by the United Nations. It is important that the outputs of this and other similar fora achieve immediate resonance in the minds and lives of our youth still seeking opportunity to express and actualize themselves, our farmers working to feed nations, our jua kali entrepreneurs striving in pursuit of success in the informal economy, and our professionals who formulate policy, implement strategy and monitor service delivery in the public and private sectors. Africa places immense value in the international community and the tremendous possibilities it can unlock, through inclusive, sustainable and effective action, to transform the lives of our peoples and establish lasting peace, security and shared prosperity.

This watershed moment is our chance to turn the key and open this door of opportunity. We can make progress in addressing the triple global threats, and liberate ourselves from the shame of past failures of multilateralism. At this watershed moment, we must not only choose, but also act decisively to bequeath to our children and their children a greener, safer, healthier and more abundant Earth. Let us do it. Together. Inclusively. Multilaterally!

This was after he was sworn in as the country's fifth president on Tuesday, September 13, taking over from retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Here is the full speech:

1. This is a momentous occasion for Kenya. Our politics and elections have never failed to be emotive, engaging and dramatic. The most recent instalment, however, showcased our most exemplary democratic performance ever. This day comes on the back of a peaceful election following an intense, issue-based campaign, in which major coalitions, made up of strong political parties canvassed their agenda for examination by the people of Kenya. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) stewarded a transparent and credible election, whose result faithfully reflected the democratic will of the Kenyan people.

2. Dissatisfied parties exercised their right of petition before the Supreme Court, whose proceedings and determination not only gave comfort to the doubtful but also restored faith in our electoral and judicial institutions. Many countries aspire to have moments like this, and we should not take ours for granted. This is the third election under the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and the second peaceful democratic transition.

3. We have had a robust conversation about the moment we are in and what it demands of us, and we sought to answer whether this was a constitutional or an economic moment. In this process, we have demonstrated the maturity of our democracy, the robustness of our institutions and the resilience of our people.

4. My competitors and I mobilized vigorously to offer the citizens of Kenya the most appealing agenda as well as the best roadmap to achieving it. I remain firm in the conviction that all sides in the last election did their best to present a pathway to actualize the people’s aspirations. The just concluded election was a choice between competing agendas towards the Kenya we want. Elections and democracy entail unifying competition, not divisive rivalry.

5. The performance of our security services, the IEBC and the Judiciary was put to a severe test. By and large, these institutions lived up to our expectations. We can only aspire to do better in future, and I give my undertaking that my administration shall work to ensure that the bar is raised even higher for the next election.

6. A significant dividend of our electoral and democratic process is the tremendous achievement we made in breaking the glass ceiling by enhancing the participation of women in leadership. 7 women were elected governors, up from 3 in the last election. 29 women were elected as members of the National Assembly up from 23 in 2017. 7 women Deputy Governors and 3 women Senators were also elected.

7. It is very clear that this election had many winners far exceeding those who were actually elected. By far, the people are the biggest winners. We have done well. We have blazed the trail in an increasingly challenging environment where democracy is consistently on trial.

8. We have come a long way in our nation’s journey to freedom and going by our most recent performance in the election, we conclude in confidence that we are almost home.

9. Allow me to single out the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for special commendation for the courage to do the right thing under exceptionally challenging circumstances. As an institution, they have set a new standard in public service that is uncompromising, professional and exemplary, raising the bar of integrity of our public officials and institutions.

10. It is appropriate to celebrate our Judiciary for sustaining its tradition of boldly giving much-needed guidance, especially in allaying post-election anxieties and resolving grievances in a sensitive, credible and authoritative manner. Its articulation of the aspirations and standards enshrined in the Constitution has deepened our democracy and institutionalized the rule of law. Our Judiciary is now, without doubt, Kenya’s biggest constitutional dividend. It has successfully arbitrated 3 election disputes and defended the nation against formidable onslaughts on our Constitution. Our Judiciary has demonstrated transparency in its proceedings and decision-making thereby consolidating its independence, authority and legitimacy.

11. I also take this opportunity to say a special word of appreciation to our security services for a commendable job at a critical period in our nation. Their service and the heroic sacrifices they have made beyond the call of duty has kept our nation safe. I am aware that our uniformed services effectively resisted concerted attempts to foment unrest and subvert the will of the people.

12. My special commendation to all candidates who contested various positions. Their participation enhanced competition and enriched public debate that underpins democratic choice. Special recognition goes to my worthy competitor and friend, the Hon Raila Amolo Odinga and his running mate Hon Martha Wangari Karua, who mounted a vigorous and determined campaign.

13. Our special gratitude also goes to millions of Kenyans in the Hustler movement for tirelessly mobilizing for the campaign and executing a historic revolutionary feat, perhaps as great as the daring exploits of our legendary freedom fighters. This includes all our campaign volunteers, agents, mobilizers and those who contributed whatever they could, in whatever form, to keep the movement going.

14. I also appreciate our religious community and institutions for their support, prayers and encouragement. I commend the Church in particular, and in equal measure the Islamic religious leadership, for their considerable support to us and our campaign. We also appreciate them for continuously exploring avenues for inter-faith understanding and solidarity, which have gone a long way to enhance tolerance and cohesion in Kenya. Faith-based institutions continue to play a noble and indispensable role in our communities and I commit that we will enhance our partnership, collaboration and support.

15. At this juncture, it is important for me to speak directly to the youth and especially those who participated, in one way or another, in the election campaigns. I commend them for resisting pressure and enticement to be misused as agents of conflict and disruption during the electioneering period. I also congratulate those who went out to seek various roles within campaigns and election, thus playing their part in keeping Kenya’s democracy robust. Even if your candidates did not win, your participation in the activities of political parties, campaigns and elections is the beginning of political internship. My political journey similarly began as a young campaign volunteer, fresh out of university. Your experience and lessons learnt should form the basis for your leadership journey.

16. We have all, therefore, emerged out of this contest stronger, more united and alive to the issues that are common to all of us. We should remain conscious that we have all been elected to work together in ensuring that our children go to school, our people have food and decent healthcare, our youth have jobs and our workers have dignified livelihoods, for it is our strong belief that every hustle matters.

17. Dreams and ambitions live in the hearts of Kenyans, who struggle daily against daunting odds, often with nothing except stubborn hope. Some succeed, others fail while others do not even get a decent chance. Before the nation and the world today, I stand with great humility and profound joy, as a living testimony, that with faith in God, willingness to work hard and commit to a vision, dreams can become reality in the fullness of time. I promise to throw open every door of opportunity and to keep them open until success stories become the norm rather than the exception and urge all other leaders to do the same so that we can together expand opportunity and chance for many more.

Ladies and gentlemen

18. We should consolidate our success in the just-concluded elections and enhance the capacity and performance of all our governance institutions.

19. The innovative deployment of technology to secure election results has been the electoral commission's pioneering breakthrough. Going forward, we will support IEBC’s institutional capacity so as to expand the deployment of technology to cover all elections from the MCA to the President.

20. I also believe that there is a tremendous opportunity for IEBC to support electoral processes in our political parties as part of broader democratic development.

21. To consolidate the place of the judiciary in our constitutional and democratic dispensation, my administration will respect judicial decisions while we cement the place of Kenya as a country anchored on democracy and the rule of law.

22. Our campaign for financial independence of the Judiciary has paid off with the implementation of the Judiciary Fund, on July 1st this year. My administration will scale up the budgetary allocation to the judiciary by an additional Ksh 3 billion annually for the next 5 years. These resources will support the bottom-up scaling of justice by increasing the number of small claims courts from the current 25 to 100. We will also work with the Judiciary to build High Courts in the remaining 7 counties, and magistrates courts in the remaining 123 sub-counties and support their ongoing digitization program. These interventions will empower the Judiciary to adjudicate and expeditiously conclude corruption cases, commercial disputes and all other matters, thereby enhancing access to justice and efficiency in the Judiciary.

23. To further demonstrate my commitment to the independence of the Judiciary, this afternoon I will appoint the 6 judges already nominated for appointment to the court of appeal, three years ago, by the Judicial Service Commission and tomorrow, I shall preside over their swearing-in ceremony so that they can get on with the business of serving the people.

24. As required by Article 245 of the Constitution, the Inspector-General of Police is mandated to exercise independent command over the National Police Service. The services’ operational autonomy, however, has been undermined by the continued financial dependence on the Office of the President. This situation is going to change.

25. As I address you, I have instructed that the instrument conferring financial autonomy to the National Police Service by transferring their budget from the Office of the President and designating the Inspector-General as the accounting officer, be placed on my desk for signature.

26. Financial independence to the police will give impetus to the fight against corruption, and end the political weaponization of the criminal justice system; an undertaking I made to the people of Kenya.

27. I understand the deep fissures and low morale in the public service. The intimidation that was visited on IEBC commissioners and staff during the last election was also meted on various other agencies and staff in the Public Service. This is now in the past. I assure all public officers that my administration will respect their professional service, and no public servant, even chiefs and their assistants, will be required to run political errands so for any political party or formation.

28. Ladies and gentlemen, we anchored our campaign on the platform of the economy premised on job creation and the well-being of the people and we have been working continuously on the measures to bring down the cost of living.

29. Our people are confronted daily with increasingly unaffordable prices, especially food and transport. In our economic forums across the country during the campaign, citizens consistently shared their anxiety, pain and fury on this matter. It calls for an urgent and decisive resolution.

30. The interventions in place have not borne any fruit. On fuel subsidy alone, the taxpayers have spent a total of Ksh144 billion, a whooping Ksh 60 billion in the last 4 months. If the subsidy continues to the end of the financial year, it will cost the taxpayer Ksh 280 billion, equivalent to the entire national government development budget. Additionally, there was an attempt to subsidize Unga in the run up to the election, a program that gobbled up Ksh 7 billion in one month, with no impact. In addition to being very costly, consumption subsidy interventions are prone to abuse, they distort markets and create uncertainty, including artificial shortages of the very products being subsidized.

31. The cost of living challenges are related to production. Our strategy to bring down the cost of living is predicated on empowering producers. The forecast for maize harvest this year is below 30 million bags against the normal production of 40 million bags. The main cause of the decline in production is the high cost of inputs.

32. Our priority intervention therefore, is to make fertilizer, good-quality seeds and other agricultural inputs affordable and available. For the short rain season, we have already made arrangements to make 1.4 million bags of fertilizer available at Ksh3,500 for a 50kg bag down from the current Ksh 6,500. This will be available from next week. I appeal to county governments in Eastern, Central and Western regions, to work with us in making sure that the fertilizer is available to farmers. Additionally to cushion tea farmers, we have made arrangements with KTDA to immediately supply tea farmers with fertilizer at Kshs 3,500 down from Kshs 6,500. This is our initial intervention, we will be doing more for the medium term and the long term.

33. We are alive to the challenges of drought that face seven counties, which are now at ‘alarm’ and 13 that are at alert stages respectively. We are determined to ensure that no county slips into the emergency phase and will coordinate with county governments, which are the first line of response. We are mobilizing resources to reverse this situation.

34. Our goal is not just to provide relief and recovery to restore the situation, but to invest and unlock the huge economic potential of the rangelands that constitute two-thirds of our country.

35. Jobs is our other priority. It is time for us to stem the tide of youth unemployment. Every year, 800,000 young people join the workforce and over 600,000 of them do not find opportunities for productive work. Moreover, our young people in cities and towns face very hostile environments, many times treated as a nuisance and their hustles criminalized. Those who seek to set up formal businesses are faced with the bureaucratic monster that is multiple licences.

36. Our immediate agenda is to create a favourable business and enterprise environment, decriminalize livelihoods and support people in the informal sector to organise themselves into stable, viable and creditworthy business entities. This is the essence of the bottom-up economic model, which creates a path for traders and entrepreneurs to build linkages, experience safety, and enjoy security. We will work with county governments to create frameworks that provide secure trading places in our cities and towns.

37. Financial inclusion and access to credit are critical in addressing the fundamental factors of the cost of living, job creation and people’s well-being. We shall take measures to drive down the cost of credit. Our starting point is to shift the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) framework from its current practice of arbitrary, punitive and all or nothing blacklisting of borrowers, which denies borrowers credit. We will work with Credit reference bureaus a new system of credit score rating that provides borrowers with an opportunity to manage on their creditworthiness. This will eliminate blacklisting.

38. In our engagements, traders also complained about the onerous burden involved in cash transactions exceeding Kshs 1 million. Many have reverted to storing money under their mattresses at great risk, which is clearly not the intention of the anti-money laundering regulations. While we remain fully committed to mitigating this risk, we believe that there is scope to make compliance less burdensome on genuine business transactions. I have been assured by the Central Bank that work on how to ease this burden without compromising the security of the financial system is underway.

39. We shall implement the Hustler Fund, dedicated to the capitalization of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through chamas, saccos and cooperatives to make credit available on affordable terms that do not require collateral.

40. To implement all these interventions, we shall establish a Ministry of Cooperatives and SME Development mandated to ensure that every small business has secure property rights, access to finance and a supportive regulatory framework.

41. Furthermore, to deal with the huge challenge of youth unemployment we will roll out our social and affordable low-cost housing program, targeting an average of 250,000 units a year. This will create opportunities in the entire job market. We will engage TVET institutions to provide the necessary skills to enable the Jua Kali industry to supply standardized products for our housing program. We will leverage on our competitive advantage in leather and textile to roll out our labour-intensive Agro-processing industrialization program. This will start with the Dongo Kundu and Naivasha industrial parks.

42. This afternoon, I will be issuing instructions for clearing of all goods and other attendant operational issues to revert to the port of Mombasa. This restored thousands of jobs in the city of Mombasa.

43. Ladies and gentlemen, we must stabilize our public finances. This year, we will spend 60 per cent of our revenues to service our debt. We are faced with Ksh600 billion in pending bills for goods and services supplied to the government. Clearly, we are living beyond our means. This situation must be corrected. I am aware that many individuals, families and their companies have been driven to ruin and forced to shut down, over government unpaid bills.

44. We shall give priority to the expeditious resolution of our pending bills so that the government can meet its obligations and facilitate better economic performance. In the coming weeks, we shall advise government creditors on the mechanism for the resolution of their outstanding payments. We are committed to ensuring that they are paid in the shortest time possible.

45. Additionally, we urgently need to expand our tax base. Our job-creation agenda and capitalizing SMEs will go a long way in broadening our tax bracket.

46. We will make KRA more professional, efficient, responsive and people-friendly. I urge taxpayers to respond by undertaking their patriotic duty and pay taxes.

47. In furtherance to this, oversight institutions such as the Auditor-General and the Controller of Budget will be adequately funded to execute their mandates.

48. On the matter of gender parity, I am committed to the two-thirds gender rule as enshrined in the Constitution. We will work with Parliament to fastrack various legislative proposals and establish a framework that will resolve this matter expeditiously. The participation of women in our governance does not make us lesser; it makes us greater. And their role can no longer be nominal; it has to be substantive.

49. Ladies and gentlemen, our health agenda is premised on fundamental reform in the way healthcare is financed and provided. We shall reform the National Health Insurance Fund to make it a social health insurance provider, improve procurement of medical supplies, deploy an integrated state-of-the-art health information system and most importantly, provide adequate human resources at all levels. Contributions will now graduate and will now be based on income.

50. There is a robust conversation in the country on education, in particular the implementation of the CBC curriculum. Public participation is critical in this matter. We will establish an Education Reform Taskforce in the Presidency which will be launched in the coming weeks. It will collect views from all key players in line with the constitutional demand for public participation. We are particularly alive to the anxieties of parents on the twin transitions of the last 8-4-4 class and the first CBC class in January next year. I assure that there will be a solution to the matter before then.

51. We have elevated our diaspora to be the 48th County. The complaint has been that the diaspora has not received the attention they deserve. The focus has been on remittances, while their fundamental rights as citizens have been neglected. To correct this oversight, I pledge to:

a. Elevate diaspora issues at a ministry level.

b. Strengthen diaspora services in all embassies.

c. Work with parliament to set up a committee that will exclusively deal with diaspora issues.

d. Set up a mechanism for public participation by the Diaspora.

e. Work closely with the IEBC to expand and enhance diaspora participation in elections.

52. Ladies and gentlemen, devolution and sharing of power and resources is not just a national value and principle of governance in the Constitution, but it is the crown jewel of our constitutional dispensation and the proudest achievement of the citizens of Kenya. Every part of the country has experienced the positive impacts of this invaluable institution and Kenyans yearn for a better performance of devolved units.

53. One of the best ways of accelerating national development is through collaboration with county governments. As Deputy President, I witnessed first-hand the tremendous potential of inter-governmental synergy and look forward to scaling up our capacity to harness these bountiful possibilities.

54. Because of this realization, I have no hesitation in accelerating the transfer of outstanding functions to counties, together with the attendant resources.

55. To promote budget efficiency and minimize disruptions and delays in devolved service delivery, my administration commits to take necessary measures to secure the timely disbursement of revenue allocations to county governments.

56. The success of devolution depends on sound inter-governmental relations. There is a template which incorporates lessons from successes as well as failures in past engagements, and we stand a stronger chance of making devolution work better.

57. Kenya will continue to be a dedicated partner to peace, security and prosperity in the East African region. We look forward to deepening our integration. We welcome our newest member, the DRC, whose entry now extends our region from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic. Kenya is fully committed to the implementation of the EAC treaty and its protocols of free movement of people, goods and services. Equally important is our commitment to the full actualization of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

58. Ladies and gentlemen, Kenya will continue playing its key role in international diplomacy at the bilateral and multilateral levels, appreciating that we are host to major international agencies, including the United Nations.

59. Among the central concerns of my government will be climate change. In our country, women and men, young people, farmers, workers and local communities suffer the consequences of climate emergency.

It is not too late to respond. To tackle this threat, we must act urgently to keep global heating levels below 1.5C, help those in need and end addiction to fossil fuels.

60. Africa has the opportunity to lead the world. We have immense potential for renewable energy. Reducing costs of renewal energy technologies make this the most viable energy source. Kenya is on a transition to clean energy that will support jobs, local economies and the sustainable industrialisation. In Kenya, we will lead this endeavor by reaffirming our commitment to transition to 100% clean energy by 2030. We call on all African states to join us in this journey.

61. As members of the international community, we shall support a successful Climate Summit in Africa in November, by championing delivery of the finance and technology needed for Africa to adapt to climate impacts, support those in need and manage the transition.

62. My administration is ready to work with global partners to fight pandemics and other health emergencies. We are also committed to promoting Kenya’s vigilance and efficacy in responding to emerging public health challenges. We stand ready to play our role in the collective efforts to keep the public safe. I call upon countries that have developed vaccines to make them accessible.

63. Ladies and gentlemen, my government commits to create a business-friendly environment, eradicate barriers that hamper business development and growth, and make Kenya one of the most compelling and attractive business destinations.

64. We are an open, democratic society founded on freedom and justice. We take pride in receiving visitors and offering them our legendary hospitality. Kenya is a land of immense natural beauty and unforgettable delights.

65. Ladies and gentlemen, I stand here on my Day One as your President. I make a commitment that, in the days ahead, I will make pronouncements that are going to better define the trajectory of my administration. I promise to make every Kenyan proud and ensure the economic well-being of all.

Outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta and President-elect William Ruto met each other at State House in Nairobi

After the meeting that took place on Monday, September 12 in the presence of both outgoing First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta and incoming Mama Rachel Ruto, the Head of State addressed the nation where he, among other things, congratulated Ruto at long last.

Here is his speech:

My fellow Kenyans, today is my last opportunity to speak to you as your President. 

In his address through a video dispatch on Monday, September 5, the outgoing Head of State criticised the judgement by the apex court while declining to congratulate Ruto for the victory, both in the election and on the legal battlefield.

Here is the speech below:

Fellow Kenyans, on August 9, 2022, Kenyans participated in an election that ushered in new leaders at all levels of our governance realm.

President Uhuru Kenyatta with Raila Odinga and William Ruto. /STANDARD DIGITAL

Following a dispute in the presidential election, a petition was filed in our Supreme Court for determination of the validity of the results and the Supreme Court has today pronounced itself on this matter.

When I was sworn in as your President, I made a pledge to the country – pledge to uphold the rule of law and the decisions made by the judiciary on all matters appertaining to our governance.

Today the Supreme Court made a ruling on the presidential dispute, upholding the results announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on August 15, 2022. And in keeping to the pledge that I made to uphold the rule of law when I took the oath of office, I commit to executing the orders of this court to the letter.

The process of handing over is in progress through the Assumption of Office Committee, which actually has already begun its work as of August 10, 2022.

And indeed it is my intention to oversee a smooth transition to the next administration and all the necessary orders to facilitate this process have already been issued.

And because democracy is a work in progress, I urge the country to respect the institutions that midwife our new leaders. And in doing so, I also urge citizens to constantly put them under scrutiny. For this is the civic duty of every single Kenyan.

In particular, this civic duty requires every citizen to constantly put the truth presented by our constitutional institutions to the test. And they must test them for coherence but also for correspondence.

They must constantly scrutinize the coherence of the truth given by these institutions and to ask themselves whether the truth has been coherent from one election to another. Has there been a consistent pattern that is acceptable toward democratic ethos?

We must ask ourselves is it about numbers or is it about the process. Which of these two is it? And can our institutions rule one way in one election and another way in another election without scrutiny? I do invite you Kenyans to keep vigil and, indeed, hold all institutions to account.

The second thing we must place under scrutiny is whether the truth given by institutions has correspondence – that is, do the truths given by our institutions correspond with what is observable by the citizens?

True beliefs and true judgments must correspond to the actual state of affairs. But do our constitutional institutions meet this threshold? While we must appreciate these institutions, we must also hold them to account at every juncture and their truth has to be consistent and coherent. This is the only way we will build our democracy.

I want to take this opportunity to thank every single Kenyan for holding a peaceful election. And for this, I want to thank God and I want to thank our political parties. But I also want to thank every single individual Kenyan for bringing us thus far.

I want to wish well all who have won as they guide our country into the future. And I thank you all for the opportunity to serve. And I say, may God bless you all and may God bless this great Republic of Kenya.

Thank you.

He thanked everyone in his life starting from his wife, Mama Rachel Ruto, who had been praying for her every day and his children for believing in and encouraging him.

Here is his full speech:

"Fellow Kenyans, With the unanimous decision of the Supreme Court of Kenya, our lengthy, suspenseful and protracted election has come to an end.

My fellow presidential candidates and I made our respective cases before Kenyans and submitted ourselves to their sovereign decision at the ballot. After the result of the vote was declared, it was taken up before the Supreme Court for scrutiny to make sure, beyond all doubt, that the will of the people had prevailed.

The court returned its verdict and I welcome it with tremendous humility. I salute the judges of the Supreme Court, who have performed their duty with utmost fidelity to the Constitution.

They listened to all parties, considered all the issues, applied the law and demonstrated their learning, impartiality and patriotism. Their professionalism has elevated the stature of the Judiciary, and enhanced the place of the petition process in legitimising election results as the true reflection of the people’s decision.

They have afforded the nation an opportunity to reflect, debate and come to terms with the implications of the last election. I do not take this for granted and I thank the Judiciary in general, and the Supreme Court in particular, for staying strong as the shining beacon of constitutionalism and the rule of law, even in the most daunting of circumstances.

The Supreme Court scrutinised, examined, dissected and tested the declaration of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) against the high standard established by the Constitution.

The decision vindicates the commission’s effort to go all out and deliver an election that exceeded public expectations and fully met the constitutional threshold of a secure, transparent, free, fair and accountable election.

I, therefore, commend the commission for their noble achievement, at tremendous and regrettable cost, to serve the people of Kenya by ensuring that their sovereign will is upheld. This has made Kenyans appreciate the just-concluded legal process.

Many of our supporters were a little unhappy about the delay, and some might have been tempted to impute bad faith in the petitioners whom they perceived to have been taking advantage of the law to frustrate their wishes expressed through the ballot.

A lot of this anxiety is the result of long-standing suspicion of national institutions, especially when political contestation is involved.

The Constitution of Kenya 2010 has done a lot to create comfort in institutions and the rule of law, and we continue to make encouraging progress on the path towards becoming a higher-trust society standing fully on its constitution.

It was, therefore, perfectly legitimate for the petitioners to go before the Supreme Court to have their questions answered, doubts assuaged and fears allayed.

By exercising their constitutional right to establish the truth, the petitioners tested the result and inscribed upon it the highest stamp of judicial, legal and constitutional approval. Our electoral and judicial institutions have won, and the Constitution has asserted itself and prevailed.

My esteemed competitors now have a credible basis on which to consider the outcome, we are vindicated by the choice of the people of Kenya.

The Court’s decision completes the loop of institutional stewards of the rule of law, entrench our constitution and expresses the sovereign will of the people, who have articulated themselves quite eloquently directly, and through their constitutional institutions. I congratulate all the patriotic Kenyans who presented themselves as presidential candidates.

It is not an easy decision, and a national campaign is not a walk in the park at the best of times. I want all of you to know that your effort is acknowledged and deeply appreciated.

Waihiga Mwaure and Ruth Mucheru, George Wajackoyah and Justina Wamae, Hon. Raila Odinga and Hon. Martha Karua, may the spirit of love for country and selfless service lie long in your hearts, and may Almighty God always remember you.

Competitive electoral politics can make and has made our politics an arena utterly devoid of grace. This fills the life of political candidates with loneliness, worry and an exaggerated sense that the stakes are do-or-die, and elections, therefore, are matters of life and death.

It poisons political competition, exterminating the sporting spirit which unites winners and losers, by enabling them to access the grace to define their relationship in terms of what they share, and not what divides them.

Democracy is expected to unite a people, strengthen their society and improve its institutions and must not become an acrimonious, fearful and desperately enterprise.

We offered alternative visions and missions and submitted to the sovereign decision of the citizens of Kenya. We are only competitors, not enemies. We vied to unite and strengthen Kenya, not to divide and weaken it. I, therefore, consider all my competitors to be my worthy compatriots.

Kenyans are united in the quest for a better society that is kinder to its children, gentler on the vulnerable, respectful of their rights and committed to serving them. Those who voted for me, as well as those who voted for my competitors, want the same thing for themselves and for their children.

I honour this aspiration and am committed to wake up early, work hard all day, every day, to realise it. I have pledged to make Kenya a country for everyone: my administration shall do justice to all, regardless of social status, religion, ethnicity, or gender, whether you voted or whom you voted for.

I, therefore, extend a hand of brotherhood to all my competitors, and to all their supporters. We are not enemies; we are Kenyans. Let us unite to make Kenya a nation everyone shall be proud to call home.

My administration will recognise in full the now established tradition of honouring our leaders who have served this nation and shall not, in any manner, interfere with their privileges and other entitlements in retirement.

They are revered elders of our nation who deserve respect at all times. It is now time for us to prepare for the day when we take up the momentous duty to serve Kenyans.

Let us all reflect on our contribution and look forward to building this nation together, to achieve the glory of Kenya, express its heritage and splendour and fill every Kenyan heart with thanksgiving.

Finally, it is crucial to point out that the hero of our campaign is mama mboga and bodaboda. The hero of the election is Mr Wafula Chebukati and the (IEBC). The hero of our democracy, the rule of law and constitutionalism is our Judiciary."

The ceremony that took place at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) in Nairobi Central Business District also saw former governor Anne Kananu transfer the instruments of power to her successor.

It was also graced by rapper Nyamari Ongegu, alias Nyashinski, who performed in front of invited guests. After Sakaja gave his speech upon being sworn in, Ruto stepped in to congratulate him in an address of his own.

Others included NMS boss Mohamed Badi, among other dignitaries. Read it below:

President-elect, William Ruto with newly-elected Nairobi Governor, Johnson Sakaja and his deputy, Njoroge Muchiri, during the swearing-in ceremony on August 25, 2022. /WILLIAM RUTO

"Your Excellency Governor Johnson Arthur Sakaja and your good Deputy James  Njoroge Muchiri and your families, elected leaders present here, the Director General of the NMS (Nairobi Metropolitan Services) and the great people of Nairobi good afternoon, hamjambo.

Let me join the people of Nairobi in congratulating you Governor Johnson Sakaja, your deputy and your team for a wonderful election period that I shared with you and many other Nairobians and Kenyans.

We have come here to witness your inauguration as the governor of Nairobi. I want to say from my family and I congratulations. From the UDA and Kenya Kwanza family congratulations. You have made us proud. 

I want to take this opportunity at this very early moment not only to congratulate you but also to wish you well as you take over the reins as governor of its great city which is also the capital of the Republic of Kenya. 

As I congratulate you, governor, I want to also congratulate all the other governors who are being sworn in today across Kenya. I know about 45 governors will be sworn in today or have been sworn in already. I want to say to all governors of the Republic of Kenya, congratulations. 

And I pledge that the government of Kenya will work with all the governors in making Kenya a great nation.

In a very special way, allow me to pass very special congratulations to the women elected as governors of the republic of Kenya. In this election, Kenyans made yet another historic decision. From the three who were elected in 2017, we now have seven women elected as governors and I want to say congratulations to the women of Kenya and those who have been elected. 

Very special congratulations to Fatuma Achani, elected Governor of Kwale County. Very special congratulations to Cecily Mbarire, the elected governor of Embu County. Very special congratulations to Anne Mumbi Waiguru the elected governor of Kirinyaga County. Very special congratulations to Faith Kawira, the elected governor of Meru County. 

Very special congratulations to Wavinya Ndeti, the elected governor of Machakos County. Very special congratulations to Gladys Wanga, the elected governor of Homa Bay County. And of course very special congratulations to Susan Kihika Mburu, the elected governor of Nakuru County.

To all these great women, we wish you well as you take over the responsibilities of governor in your counties. And to all the other governors who have been elected, I want to say just two things to our governors starting with my good friend Governor Johnson Sakaja, you will have the undivided support of the government of Kenya as you discharge your responsibilities in your counties. 

I know, having been chair of the intergovernmental budget and economic council, that we have had challenges on matters to do with the release of shareable revenue on time. I want to commit to all our governors that the government of Kenya going forward will make it possible that the shareable revenue will be released in time and in accordance with the law and the constitution so that we can better manage our counties and make it possible for you to deliver on your mandate and the commitment you have made to the constituents in your counties. 

We are also going to work with you on making sure that counties build the capacity to raise resources on their own source of revenue channel to make it possible for additional resources so that you can better deliver on services and on the mandate that you have been appropriated to by the constitution in your counties. 

I also want to commit that we will work hard. I have already discussed this with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) on how to raise revenue. I want to commit that we will work together with you so that Kenya can live within its means and there will be no tall men or big girls, that the rule is going to equalize every Kenyan so that each one of us can pay their taxes.

There will be no exemption for anyone on account of paying taxes. I want to commit that going into the future, the rule of law will the benchmark. That all of us, irrespective of who we are, will be expected to live by the rule of law. 

I want to commit to all my friends in leadership that we are going to work together to make Kenya a country of opportunity. That every citizen of the Republic of Kenya, working hard, will access opportunities without the necessity of having any connection. 

As we go into the future, and especially in the city of Nairobi- you know, my brother Johnson, that you are a miracle candidate. That your election as the Governor of Nairobi is indeed a miracle and it wouldn’t have happened without God. 

And I want to appreciate that you have understood and underscored the place of faith and God in your election. I want to tell you my friend and brother that we will work with you, we have confidence in you, we are proud of you, and we know the city of Nairobi has the best it can have as the county governor. 

I also will be available to consult, you know the commitments we made to the people of Nairobi with respect to market infrastructure, and the commitment we have made in matters collection and management of garbage. The commitment we have made in transport infrastructure for the great city of Nairobi, and you know the commitment we have made in making sure that every hustle will count in the great city of Nairobi. I will be on hand to support you. 

And finally, you and I have already discussed making the rivers of Nairobi places of opportunities, enterprise and business as opposed to what it is today- a place of filth and raw sewage. 

You and I have discussed the Nairobi Rivers Commission, I will be looking forward to the consultation so that we can set it up and begin to truly make this great city, a city of dignity, and a city of opportunities. 

To all my fellow citizens of the Republic, you have spoken to us loudly. I want to ask all the leaders to listen to the loud message that is coming from the citizens of our country. The citizens are speaking to us, loudly, that they want our politics to be non-tribal and peaceful.

In this election, we have seen a very new phenomenon, we all voted and the next day we were ready to go to work, and we were ready to go on with our lives and everybody on to their hustle. 

That is the loud message that is coming from the people of Kenya to those of us who are leaders. I am asking all of us to listen to what the people of Kenya are saying so that we can conclude the remaining steps of our election in a peaceful, orderly, respectful manner. Respecting all the institutions that will discharge their responsibilities because we are a country governed by the rule of law and the constitution. 

I want to conclude by asking all the leaders of the great city of Nairobi, from members of the county assembly, and the workers of the great city of Nairobi to join hands with the new leadership under Johnson Sakaja and take our great city to the next level. 

And I want to commit and pledge that we will be available to work with you because Nairobi is our collective business. 

Asanteni sana, May the good Lord bless you.” 

Nairobi governor, Johnson Sakaja all smiles during the swearing-in ceremony on August 25, 2022. /WILLIAM RUTO

Raila’s legal team led by Senior Counsel James Orengo, filed the petition at the Supreme Court sub-registry at the Milimani Law Courts on Monday, August 22, in line with the apex court regulations.

"A short while ago, we successfully filed our Presidential Election Petition at the Supreme Court of Kenya. The action we have taken is perfectly in line with the stipulations of our constitution on resolving electoral disputes.

A crowd with Raila Odinga after he files his presidential petition at the Supreme Court on August 22, 2022. /RAILA ODINGA

It affirms our deep belief in constitutionalism, the rule of law and a peaceful resolution of disputes, including high-stakes ones like the presidential election. We have been shocked that as we prepared to go to court, others tried to stop us.

Kenyans and all those who followed our campaign will recall that fighting and ending corruption in Kenya was a core agenda throughout our campaign as Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party.

The Presidential election results announced last week represent that continuing struggle pitting the forces for democracy and good governance against the corruption cartels that are so determined that they will stop at nothing to take control of the government.

This is a do-or-die battle for the corruption cartels who have everything to lose should the forces of democracy take over. The corruption cartels are prepared to compromise electoral systems, bribe election officials, make security systems look the other way or even kill in order to find their way to power and their ill-gotten wealth and continue stealing from the public.

We believe this is what happened in this election. For the sake of Kenya’s future, the corruption network must not only be stopped but must also be crushed.

This attempted takeover of the country in this election has not been an isolated phenomenon. It has been in the works every electoral cycle. The corruption cartel has been intruding into our elections by not only financing specific candidates but also by threatening or assassinating candidates and election officials.  

The corruption cartels have steadily been moving into manipulating electoral demands and suppressing the participation of voters who support rival political formations. Their activities, which make it clear voters and their votes do not matter, have progressively reduced voter turnout in Kenya.

At times the cartels have triggered intense conflict between security forces and themselves as they strive to compromise elections. Slowly but steadily, these forces are killing our hard-won democracy and are trying to return Kenya to a one-party state in their own interest.

We have seen the speed with which they have moved to buy elected leaders just within one week. After being denied the numbers at lower level elections like Members of National Assembly, Members of County Assemblies and governors, these corruption cartels are working at buying leaders who have been elected on other tickets to kill our democracy and also make the work of containing corruption at lower levels equally less effective.

All of these efforts have important political costs for our country that should not be underestimated. The corruption cartels know there are multiple benefits for them if they take over.

Their members dealing in illegal drugs will thrive through greater ease in the transportation and distribution of drugs throughout the country, they will access intelligence information for more corruption, they will gain protection from the police for their leaders and their illegal activities, and they will institute weaker or no restrictions at all for money laundering and they will ensure nobody else but them thrive.

This potential array of favours for the cartels makes the capturing of government a profitable, do-or-die venture for them. But it marks the beginning of the end of Kenya as we know it.

No nation, once captured by cartels, whether they be corruption cartels, drug cartels, gun running cartels or terror cartels, ever thrived or realized its full potential.

The 2022 presidential election represents the most daring move by that cartel to overturn the wishes of the electorate. We refuse to allow Kenya to go in that direction. It must not happen and it will not happen.

This is what the steps we have taken today and the ones we will take going forward, are all about; to stop the corruption cartels from getting to the heart of our nation and government; the presidency and to stop the corruption cartels from jeopardizing electoral health and democracy in our country. Otherwise, we will have no country.

Our supporters deserve the support of all our citizens and all citizens and leaders of the world who believe in democracy, constitutionalism and the rule of law.

This is the time to walk the talk.

Thank you

Raila claimed in his address to the media on Tuesday, August 16 that the results by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) were erroneous and deserved to be nullified.

Read his address below:

Good afternoon. Today I want to address my fellow Kenyans and the international community about the 2022 Kenya elections and the role of the Independent Election and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the body mandated by the Constitution and the law to conduct and manage elections. 

On August 9, 2022, millions of Kenyans turned out in large numbers in an attempt to choose their leaders at the national, county, and local levels after long and generally peaceful campaigns. 

Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga when he arrived at KICC. /RAILA ODINGA

But yesterday August 15, our budding democracy suffered a major setback. As a result, Kenya faces a grave legal and political crisis as a result of the actions of Mr Wafula Chebukati, the Chairperson of the IEBC.

The Constitution and our laws are clear about how the IEBC should conduct its business. There is no more important role for the IEBC than the conduct, transmission, and tallying of the presidential election. 

We are painfully aware of past political biases by the IEBC that plunged this country into its darkest chapter.  The terrible memories of the aftermath of the 2007 elections are still fresh in our minds. 

In 2017, the Supreme Court of Kenya nullified the presidential election again because of the misconduct of the IEBC. What we saw yesterday was a travesty and a blatant disregard of the Constitution and the laws of Kenya by Mr Chebukati and a minority of IEBC Commissioners.

The law is clear on the role of the Chairperson of the IEBC. The law does not vest in the Chairperson the powers of a dictator to rule the IEBC unilaterally. 

The IEBC is structured as a democratic institution in which decisions must be taken either by consensus or by a vote of the majority. The Chairperson and a tiny minority of commissioners have no legal authority to take weighty decisions and proclaim them as the rulings of the IEBC.

The law on the IEBC provides that "unless a unanimous decision is reached, a decision on any matter before the commission shall be by a majority of the members present and voting"

In addition, the court of appeal in the Maina Kiai case, ruled "we iterate as we conclude that there is no doubt from the architecture of the laws we have considered that the people of Kenya did not intend to vest or concentrate such sweeping and boundless powers in one individual, the chairperson of the appellant.

That is why I, Azimio and the nation at large, were shocked yesterday to learn that Mr Chebukati alone decided to pronounce himself on the supposed winner of the 2022 presidential elections.

We understand that only Mr Chebukati alone had access to the tally of the presidential vote. He denied all the commissioners access to that information until he suddenly appeared before the commissioners in the late afternoon to present them with a fait accompli.

I understand that the commission had previously agreed on the tally of the Presidential results. But barely two hours before his announcement, Mr Chebukati called a meeting of the IEBC and revealed to them the different results he was going to announce. 

Four of the seven protested Mr Chebukati s actions. But Mr Chebukati whose mind appeared made up did not entertain any discussion of the results, precipitating a walkout by a majority of the commissioners who promptly denounced the results at a press conference. We know what happened next. 

A majority of the commissioners walked out and held a press conference where they denounced the results.  Our view in Azimio is clear.  The figures announced by Mr Chebukati are null and void and must be quashed by a court of law. 

In our view, there is neither a legally and validly declared winner nor a President-Elect.  Mr Chebukati’s announcement purporting to announce a winner is a nullity. 

He acted with gross impunity and in total disregard of the Constitution and our laws. He could have plunged our country into chaos had our supporters not exercised great restraint. 

Such blatant acts of impunity can be a threat to the security of our country. It is not up to us to decide whether Mr Chebukati has committed an offence. 

Raila Odinga speaking at the Azimio media centre on August 16, 2022. /RAILA ODINGA

We leave that determination to the appropriate authorities. For the avoidance of doubt, I want to repeat that we totally and without reservations reject the presidential results announced yesterday by Mr Chebukati.

I want to commend our supporters for remaining calm and keeping the peace, and I urge them to continue to do so. Let no one take the law into their own hands. 

We are pursuing constitutional and lawful channels and processes to invalidate Mr Chebukati’s illegal and unconstitutional pronouncement. We are certain that justice will prevail.

I want to further commend the heroism of the four commissioners – the majority of the IEBC – who stood up to the bullying and illegal conduct of Mr Chebukati.  We are proud of them and ask them not to fear anything. Kenyans are with them.

Today I do not want to fully address our strategies going forward but suffice it to note that we will be pursuing all constitutional and legal options available to us. We will do so because we regard the many flaws in the elections and the wrongs committed by IEBC as fatal to the process and the outcome announced by Mr Chebukati. 

We urge Kenyans and the friends and partners of Kenya abroad to stand tall and be counted as we seek to advance the ideals of democracy and an open society that we have always stood for. 

We will pursue justice for our supporters and for all Kenyans so that their choices are respected and honoured. May God bless you and may God bless Kenya.

Chebukati handed him his certificate and invited him to speak to the nation; those in the auditorium at Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi and millions watching at home on TV and listening to the radio.

Here is the speech by the president-elect:

DP William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua holding their certificate after being declared president and deputy-president elect on August 15, 2022. /WILLIAM RUTO

"It is a wonderful evening and I want to thank God that we are here this evening to witness this momentous occasion as the people of Kenya, restate what is in Article 1 of the Constitution; that all sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya.

I want to thank God for getting us to this point. I want to thank God that today, we have concluded this election.

I know that there were predictions that I would not get to the ballot, there were predictions that I would not get here, but because there is a God in heaven, we are here.

And I want to in a very special way, say and confess that without God, we wouldn't have been here.

My gratitude also goes to the people of Kenya, the millions who listened to us, the millions who participated in our campaigns peacefully, the millions who turned up to vote for us on August 9 and the millions who have waited patiently until these results have been announced.

Specifically, I want to thank my fellow countrymen and women because we have raised the bar in this election. This election was much about the issues than the ethnic configurations that have always informed our politics.

Gratitude goes to the millions of Kenyans who refused to be boxed into tribal cocoons. I am a very proud Kenyan this evening that the people of Kenya have raised the bar on us who are seeking leadership in our country, not to sell our ethnicity, but to sell our programmes, manifestos, our agenda and our plan.

Let me also say right at the start that here and in this election, there are no losers, The people of Kenya have won because we have raised the political bar. I want to say that the people of Kenya led by the 14 million who stood out to vote are the biggest winners.

The hero of this election is the IEBC, led by Wafula Chebukati. I say this with conviction, that the IEBC amazed all of us.

The results were in the public portal, all the servers were open and everybody, all you needed was a simple calculator and you would have the final results.

I want to congratulate the IEBC for raising the bar and I want to say without fear of any contradiction that Wafula Chebukati is our hero; soft-spoken but firm.

 I want to tell you Mr Chairman, we are very proud that without informing anyone of us, you put all the results on a public portal that any Kenyan could access - that became the game changer in this election.

Let me also thank our partners, the religious leaders who were part of this process from the beginning. For the first time, we saw them spend time at this tallying centre and prayed for this process. I am sure their prayers will not be in vain.

I also want to thank our development partners, the diplomatic community and election observers who came in their thousands to be part and parcel of the process right from nearly two weeks ago to its conclusion in this auditorium. To all of them, I tell them the people of Kenya are eternally grateful.

I want to thank my worthy competitor, the honourable Raila Odinga for a campaign in that we all dwelt on issues and tried to sell an agenda to the people of Kenya. I want to promise that I will work with all elected leaders and all leaders in Kenya so that we can fashion a country that leaves nobody behind.

What the people of Kenya have done is assign us responsibilities. There will be those of us who will be in the executive, but there will be those of us who will oversee what we do in the executive. Those responsibilities, in government and in the opposition are important for the people of Kenya.

I want to promise that I will run a transparent, open and democratic government and I will work with the opposition to the extent that they provide oversight over my administration.

Let me also acknowledge my boss, the president of the Republic of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, who has worked with me over the last 10 years in various forms and I want to commit that I will build on the foundation that he and I put together and take this country to the next level.

I want to promise all the people of Kenya, regardless of how they voted that this will be their government. I know many are wondering, especially those who have done many things against us, I want to tell them that they have nothing to fear.

There is no room for vengeance, there is no room for looking back, we are looking into the future. I am aware that our country is at a stage where we need all hands on deck to move it forward.

We do not have the luxury to point fingers or portion blame, we must close ranks and work together for a functioning democratic, prosperous Kenya.

I want to thank the members of my team starting with my wife and family and many other prayer warriors in Kenya and I want to confess that I have been prayed into victory.

It is not our effort, and my team knows, we were working against many odds but I must confess that it is God who brought us this victory. Many people have made huge sacrifices for us to get here. I want to assure them that their sacrifices will not be in vain.

My team and I will work very hard to make sure that we do not let Kenyans down.

I am very confident that this country will come together and we can move together as one united and prosperous country. I want to ask our religious leaders from across Kenya to pray for us and the unity of our country.

Thank you very much for being here this evening to witness this very historic, democratic occasion that moves this country to the next level.

Let me thank my very able deputy, Rigathi Gachagua for the sacrifice and the commitment he has demonstrated and the hard work he has put in.

Together with Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetangula, Justin Muturi, Alfred Mutua, Amason Kingi and the members of Parliament who were elected with us in Jubilee and have paid the price for us to be here. Ladies and gentlemen, let me say, I owe you. you are great people.

To all the people of Kenya, I assure you that I will work hard to ensure that this nation moves to the next level, is united and is prosperous.

Ahsanteni sana."

He delivered a moving speech in front of a packed Kasarani Stadium on Saturday, August 6, the last day for campaigns across the country ahead of the elections.

One of the highlights of the speech was his willingness to shake the hand of his opponent, Deputy President William Ruto, whether he wins or loses the election. However, he did not exactly mention his name during the event.

Raila was also entertained by Tanzanian superstar, Diamond Platnumz, who staged a guest performance at the rally during his stopover in Nairobi.

Musician Diamond Platinumz at Kasarani Stadium for the final Azimio-One Kenya rally pic.twitter.com/SbanXCFErR

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 6, 2022

Read his speech below:

Thank you for keeping the flames of freedom alive in our country. Thank you also for standing with me in the many years of struggle to liberate Kenya. Thank you for the battles we have fought together.

The journey has been long. But I have not fought alone or felt lonely. We have fought together.

But allow me to take this very special moment to convey my very personal and deep gratitude to my family and the entire Odinga family for their enduring spirit in difficult, upsetting and tragic times.

Through the times, they have kept powering through and lived up to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s mantra that “Freedom Has a price.”

I also want to thank my fellow compatriots for the struggle. Thank you for keeping the faith. Thank you for fighting the good fight.

I wish to especially thank the strongest human being known to me; Her Excellency, Dr Ida Betty Anyango Odinga, the pillar of our family and the secret weapon to our combined strength.

Ida is the mother of our four children, Fidel Castro, Rosemary Akeyo, Raila Junior and Winnie Irmgard. The four are all different in character, but all are endowed with the strength of their mother Ida.

Every time they put me behind bars in the ‘80s, they thought they had stopped the fight for Kenya, only for them to meet an even more relentless fighter in the person of Madam Ida Odinga, a fighter as determined as only a mother can be for her children.

Nothing can stop the power of a good woman fighting shoulder to shoulder with an Engineer!

However, in this election, Mama Ida’s children are you, the people of Kenya.

Fellow Kenyans, by voting in our next Deputy President Madam Martha Wangari Karua, you will have a complete army to fight for you and our country.

That is something you won’t find on the other side. There are neither fighters nor the fighting spirit on the other side.

There is no known fight to make Kenya a better place that has been led by the people on the other side. The fighters for a better Kenya are on this side, wako hapa Kasarani Leo (they are here in Kasarani today).

Fellow Kenyans, Wangari and Amolo are not simply running to win an election. We are running to make Kenya a first-class global democracy and economy. We are running to build a Kenya of hope and opportunity; a Kenya not of 45 individual tribes but one big Kenyan tribe.

My Dear Kenyans; I am here today not to declare a celebration but to sound a battle cry.

As the Christian Hymnals tell us; “the long, dark night is almost gone, and the morning soon will break.”

We are on the verge of a great victory. I, Raila Amolo Odinga, have seen Canaan; the land of milk and honey. The land of “…No woman, No cry”. I have seen the Promised Land; the land of The Redemption Song.

Raila Odinga at Kasarani stadium on August 6, 2022. /DANITO KINYANJUI

(*SING*)

“but my hand was made strong,

by the hand of the almighty,

we forward in this generation… triumphantly.

Won’t you help to sing, these songs of freedom,

Cause all I ever had

Redemption songs x2”

But we know “…the battle is HARDEST, when victory is NEAREST”.

Get ready, my dear Kenyans and keep the spirit of “Alutta Continua.”

Next Tuesday, all Azmio followers have to be at their polling stations by 6 am and cast their vote.

August 9th marks the 7th multi-party election in Kenya.

Historically, the number 7 is a symbol of completion and new beginnings.

God rested on the 7th day after completing his work.

Joshua went round the wall of Jericho 7 times for the wall to fall and pave the way to a new beginning.

Pilgrims to Mecca walk around the Kaaba seven times to achieve healing and reconciliation with Allah.

On the 7th multiparty election on Tuesday, we will mark the year of completion and new beginnings.

I must also remind Kenyans that we started this struggle on Saba Saba Day; the 7th day of the 7th month of 1990.

On that day, we declared that the walls of dictatorship must fall. The walls of corruption must fall. And the walls of impunity, injustice and exclusion must fall.

On Tuesday, we complete what we started on Saba Saba Day. And destiny has appointed the 7th multiparty election as the date of this completion.

My dear Kenyans,

The question we face today is: Who has a safe pair of hands to complete what we started on Saba Saba?

Whose hands will dismantle the Bandit Economy of corruption? In whose hands are your families safe? When you look at your children, who do you feel will really make sure that you have the ability to give them the best that they deserve?

Who do you feel will ensure the unity of the country no matter the election results? Is it the man who shook the hand of his bitter rival and brought national reconciliation and healing or the hand of the warmonger who is a deviant and a convicted thief?

Which hand will you trust to deliver social protection for the poor?

The Auditor General tells us that Ksh800 billion is stolen every year through corruption. Ksh800 billion is TWICE the economy of two of our neighbours in the East African Community.

Who do you feel is BEST qualified to dismantle this cartel of thieves?

Dear Kenyans, People have asked us how we will give Ksh6,000 to poor families. But that is the WRONG

The question we should be asking is how a few corrupt people got to be paid 800 billion shillings every year from our budget. How did the government afford this? How did these people con us?

If we could afford to pay Ksh800 billion to CONMEN, we can afford to pay a mere 6,000 shillings to known and real Kenyans struggling with life.

What these families need is a DIRECT INJECTION from the government. These families need direct government funds to feed their children.

So, in the first 100 days, my government will begin paying 6000 shillings to families living below the poverty line.

And we will not STOP until they reach a place where they can feed their children without our HELP. This is what we are calling Social Protection.

Fellow Kenyans,

As you go to the ballot on Tuesday, I want you to know that we as a country are at an inflexion point.

Either something very good will happen, or something terrible will happen.

We have a choice of the Promised Land, But the Land of Bondage is also within sight. The pharaoh is refusing to let our people go.

We left the land of bondage on Saba Saba day in 1990. On that day, we DECLARED this: “…Let my People Go…!

Today, I repeat the same declaration “… LET MY PEOPLE GO”. Free them from the bondage of thieves. Free them from the Bondage of LIARS. And free them from the CHAIN links of corruption.

Dear Kenyans;

We are soon entering Canaan and there are a few rules we will have to observe. In Canaan, we MUST embrace reconciliation. We cannot get to Canaan a divided nation that is half bitter and half happy. In my government, there will be NO revenge. I PLEDGE to be the President of all. I have made this decision because I did not choose my liberation CAUSE. The liberation cause CHOSE me.

And when I was tempted to RUN away from it, the CAUSE always found me.

This is why I always found a place in my heart to reconcile. I shook the hand of Mzee Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi in March 2002, of President Kibaki in February 2008 and of my brother President Uhuru Kenyatta in March 2018.

I want to assure Kenyans that I will continue with this HANDSHAKE DOCTRINE, the doctrine of unclenching the fist. For the sake of Kenya, I will shake the hand of my rivals and pay the political price if I have to.

I will shake their hand if I win. And I will shake their hand if I don’t. And I will do it because I love Kenya more than I love Raila Amolo Odinga.

Dear Kenyans,

The election is a mere three days away. Make arrangements to vote on the 9th. Let’s vote early. Let’s win early.

I need the vote of each and every one of you listening to me now. Choose your president yourself.

Peace be with you all. God Bless you, God Bless this election, AND God, Bless this our land and Nation.

ASANTENI SANA.

The President also announced the immediate suspension of the Import Declaration Fee (IDF) imposed on imported maize as well as the fuel development levy on transporting the product, which triggered the decrease in prices.

Other directives are included in his full speech below, to protect Kenyans from the high cost of living:

Fellow Kenyans, 

For the last four years, our nation and the Horn of Africa Region at large have experienced unexpected low rainfall resulting in drought, poor harvests and crop failure in some parts of the country. 

This situation has been compounded by other preceding disasters, including a desert locust invasion in 2019, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, and the disruptions in the global supply chain of food and farm inputs, following the Ukraine-Russian War. 

As a result, the number of vulnerable households in Kenya has increased tremendously, and the cost of basic food items has risen beyond the reach of many families. 

Faced with such a challenge, the moment requires us to act swiftly and decisively to cushion the vulnerable, as we figure out sustainable means of dealing with the emerging trend.  And this is what we did when the pandemic ravaged our country beginning in March 2020. 

Today, and borrowing from our experience in managing previous challenges, I want to squarely address the question of the cost of living. 

And in doing so, I want to focus on the ethical behaviour practised by the three key entities that have a duty of care for the people of this republic.  First is the corporate citizens and their social ethical practice – entities like maize millers; second is the political class and the civic duty required of them, and third is the Government and the social responsibility it is required to practice.

I will address the three key elements of civic responsibility as relates to the question of the price of Unga specifically. 

Let me begin by stating a pattern I have observed in our country.  Every election in this country has attracted ‘Unga Crisis’.  In fact, there seems to be an engineered connection between elections and the high prices of unga. There is an obvious trend between the manner the price of unga goes up and the tempo taken by the election. Why do I say so? 

In July 2012, months before the March 2013 election, the price of a packet of 2 Kilogrammes of Unga shot up from Ksh70 to Ksh130. When my administration came to office, we had to intervene to bring down this price as an urgent priority. 

In May 2017, three months before the August 2017 election, the price of unga shot up to an unprecedented high of Ksh.189. This is the highest price experienced between independence and 2017.  And this crisis was used as the fuel that powered the ambitions of certain members of the political class.

Today, months to the August 2022 election, the price of unga has shot up again.  It has moved from a price that is affordable of Ksh 100 to Ksh 205. So the national question we must pose from this trend is this: Is it a coincidence that we have ‘Unga Crisis’ just before every election?  Is this the result of a market dynamic or is it a deliberate outcome? This question must be posed and put to rest. 

And in posing this question, I will return to the three entities charged with the duty of care for the people of this Republic with respect to the price of unga and its curious relationship with every election.

Let me begin with the maize millers. Like every citizen of this Republic, they have rights and responsibilities as corporate citizens.  They must enjoy their market rights to make profits, but they must also exercise a corresponding social responsibility to the people of this Republic. Even though the increase in price is also affected by drought and other external factors, their motivation for profits must be tempered by a reasoned level of social ethics. 

I say so because the making of profits and ethical corporate citizenship are not conflicting ideals. They are in fact complementary. You can make profits and exercise responsible business practices, all at the same time.  More so because, if unethical practices result in instability during elections, the biggest loser is not the ordinary citizen.  It is the corporate citizen and their investments that suffer. 

And because the government cannot legislate a culture of corporate responsibility and we cannot police the social ethics of corporate citizens, I implore them to see their role as a partnership with the people and their government. 

This is true of some large-scale commodity houses and maize traders, maize millers and fuel handlers, who use the practice of hoarding to control prices.  Yet in the end, if hoarding results in an increase in prices to an unaffordable level and consequent instability, the damage is highest on the corporate citizens.

Fellow Kenyans,

Now I will turn to the political class and how they manipulate the ‘Unga Crisis’ every election in an attempt to gain political mileage. For starters, it is shocking to politicize the misery of the vulnerable.  But it is more distasteful to gain political capital out of the sufferings of the vulnerable without offering solutions.

If it is not a coincidence that every election attracts high prices of unga, then we must question the coincidence?  

And I say so because if one of them acts unethically by hoarding their products, the other benefits by politicizing this irresponsibility.  But in the meantime, who suffers from this mischief?  If the politician gets his votes out of it and the miller gets their profit, what does the common mwananchi (Citizen) get?  And in the end, who carries the burden of this mischief? The common mwananchi, of course!

If my appeal to the millers is to practice a reasoned level of social ethics, my appeal to the political class is to exercise civic responsibility.  To politicize the pain of the vulnerable without offering solutions is to mock the lifestyle of the same voters the politicians are appealing to. 

The partnership between the corporate citizen and the political class must benefit the people of our Republic.  And if it breeds misery like the high price of maize every election, then the voter has a duty to put an end to it. 

Finally, the government, the world over is meant to be a community of solution-givers. And our mandate as the Fourth Administration of this Republic is to offer solutions to the needs of those who elected us and to cushion them whenever unexpected problems degenerate into a crisis. 

The record is clear that my administration has done this relentlessly, with or without elections. And this is because our mantra in the fog of a crisis is to always view the crisis as a ‘danger’ and an ‘opportunity’.  We have cushioned our people from the ‘danger’, but pointed them to the underlying ‘opportunity’.

In response to the economic shocks occasioned by Covid-19, for instance, my Administration moved fast and implemented three economic stimulus packages. The first two packages were designed to ensure that our economy endured the shocks occasioned by the lockdown measures implemented in the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The First Stimulus Package lowered various tax regimes, lowered the Central Bank Rate (CBR) to 7.25% from 8.25% so as to prompt commercial banks to lower interest rates applicable to their borrowers, and thereby availing the much-needed affordable credit to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the country. 

To support this, we also lowered the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and thus unlocked cash amounting to Ksh35 billion to commercial banks. This stimulus package put Ksh176 billion back into the pockets of Kenyans.

Additionally, we temporarily suspended the listing with Credit Reference Bureaus (CRB) of any person, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and corporate entities whose loan account had fallen overdue or was in arrears.

The Second Stimulus Package, whose tenet was the 8-Point Programme, revitalized the productive sectors by Ksh56.6 Billion. One of the celebrated initiatives of this package was “Kazi Mtaani”, which was meant to cushion our young people from COVID-related unemployment.

The Programme has so far secured a gainful engagement with over 1 million youth, deployed in infrastructure improvements and in public hygiene and created opportunities for young people to start new businesses.

Having secured significant progress in the containment of Covid-19 in October 2021, I announced the third Economic Stimulus Package that was positioned to shift our focus from surviving Covid-19’s socio-economic vagaries to building back better. 

The Ksh25 billion stimulus package was designed to accelerate the pace of our economic growth and sustain the gains already made.  The Third Economic Stimulus Package pushed the aggregate of our stimuli to over Ksh257 billion. 

This package focused on the key productive and service sectors that covered: education, agriculture across all cash crops, health, energy, petroleum, drought response, infrastructure, financial inclusion and environmental conservation. 

No other country in our region or even continent implemented such a broad and robust economic response to Covid-19 and the need to turn tragedy into opportunities.  The outcome of these interventions is manifest and vivid for all to see - a historic tax collection of Ksh2 trillion in the Financial year 2021/22. 

The Fourth Stimulus Package focused on subsidies. The first one is the petroleum subsidy. To offer relief to household budgets, we have over the last year granted and maintained a fuel subsidy programme amounting to Ksh118 billion. 

Without this state intervention, the pump prices would have been Ksh193.64 for diesel, Ksh209.95 for petrol and Ksh181.13 for Kerosene in Nairobi, and higher further inland.  In fact, we have set the pace in the Region for the provision of fuel subsidies to cushion our citizens. 

Fuel prices update for between July 15, 2022 and August 14, 2022. /VIRALTEAKE

The second set of subsidies aimed at bolstering food production. My Administration announced a Ksh5 billion fertilizer subsidy programme, which has reduced the cost of fertilizer from Ksh6,000.00 to an average of Ksh2,800.00.

Early this month the Government further suspended fees and levies that included KEPHIS and KEBS Testing Fee, Inspection Fee, and Permit Fee on imported maize grain and raw materials for animal feed for a period of four months, with effect from July 1, 2022, up to 31st October 2022. 

And to build on this momentum, as well as cushion our population from the rising cost of living, my Administration has pondered a Fifth Stimulus Programme, focusing primarily on the ‘Unga Crisis’. 
fellow Kenyans, 

In line with our financing and budgeting framework, in the month of July, we commenced a new Financial Year.  This gave us an opportunity to review our priorities and better re-align our expenditure framework to respond to emerging needs. 

I note with regret that the cost of a 2 kg pack of maize-meal remains out of reach for many, as it is currently retailing at an average of Ksh.205.  As a consequence of this continued escalation in food prices, I today announce Fiscal Measures focused on food Subsidy, as our Fifth Stimulus Programme covering the supply and distribution of our nation’s staple food – maize meal, across the entire country. 

My Administration has engaged all milling companies registered by the Agricultural and Food Authority (AFA) and issued a Legal Notice under the hand of the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury. Through this notice, and effective immediately: 

• The Railway Development Levy (RDL) on all imported Maize stands suspended; 
• The Import Declaration Fee (IDF) on all imported Maize is hereby suspended; 
• Maize flour shall retail across the entire territory of the Republic of Kenya at the price of Ksh.100, down from Ksh205 for a 2kg packet, until otherwise directed. 

This programme of a subsidy of Ksh105 per 2kg pack of maize meal is meant to lower the cost of living for the vulnerable households as we look for a sustainable solution to the recurrent rising price of unga every election. 

Allow me to conclude by re-emphasizing the need for both corporate citizens and the political class, to exercise high civic responsibility.  And to this end, I invite them to join the community of solution-givers. 

Thank You.