The worst is behind us now, DP Kithure Kindiki tells Kenyans
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki makes his address during the official opening of the seventh Kenya Editors Guild Convention at Sarova Woodlands Hotel in Nakuru on November 29, 2024.
Kenyans should brace for hard economic times, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said while calling for patience as the government works to boost household incomes.
Speaking after Sunday service at Kyuso Township in Kitui County, Prof Kindiki projected it would take President William Ruto’s administration at least three years to turn around the economy.
“Through hard work and the grace of God, we have managed to stabilize the macroeconomic indicators of our country in the last two years. These are foreign exchange, the price of oil and essential commodities such as flour and sugar, and inflation. We know we are not yet there. There is still a lot of work which needs to be done to stabilise the economy. Since the macroeconomic indicators have stabilised, the work remaining in the next two, three years before we go to the election is to empower individual citizens to have a little more money in their pockets,” Prof Kindiki told congregants at the Kyuso Gospel Outreach Church.
As part of the measures the government has put in place to reinvigorate the economy and ultimately put money in the pockets of Kenyans, Prof Kindiki listed the affordable housing programme which he said was designed to create jobs and spur businesses in the manufacturing industry, setting up ICT hubs across the country to create digital jobs, and labour migration which has seen youth line up for skilled and unskilled job opportunities in foreign countries.
Microeconomic indicators
“We are currently dealing with microeconomic indicators. These are job creation and household incomes. I want to assure all Kenyans that in the next three years, our microeconomic indicators will have stabilised and improved because the difficult part of the economic recovery journey is already behind us. The macroeconomic indicators are looking good. For the first time, Kenya will not import a single grain of maize and a single kilogram of sugar. We have enough thanks to good weather and the fertilizer subsidy programme and the good policies which this government has put in place,” Prof Kindiki said.
Politics dominated the after the Sunday service session which was also graced by Tharaka-Nithi Senator Mwenda Gataya, Transnzoia Woman Representative Lilian Siyoi, and MPs Eric Wamumbi (Mathira), Patrick Munene (Chuka Igambang’ombe), Bernard Kitur (Nandi Hills), Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East), Paul Nzengu (Mwingi North).
As the other politicians took a swipe at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua while calling for unity in the country, Mr Mbai rallied the Kamba community behind Prof Kindiki saying he presented a more realistic pathway to State House after President Ruto retires compared to Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
Mega projects
The DP also took a swipe at Mr Gachagua over his push for punishing the regions which did not support President Ruto in the 2022 General Election by discriminating against them during the distribution of mega projects and plum government positions.
The call for favouritism, which Mr Gachagua had dubbed shareholding, is one of the grounds tabled by MPs during his impeachment a month ago.
The MPs argued that the push for shareholding benefitted some regions at the expense of others. Prof Kindiki concurred.
“I want to assure you on behalf of the President that the government will not sideline or discriminate against any part of the country on whatever grounds. This government believes that those who have the opportunity to be national leaders should champion unity. We must work hard to protect and preserve the unity of our country. Once you are elected as an MCA, MP, senator, or governor, everybody including the President, becomes the leader and the father of all the people within your jurisdiction. This is what will develop our country,” he said.
