I'm still in charge, President Ruto tells CSs and Kenya Kwanza MPs
President William Ruto delivers his speech at the ongoing joint National Executive Retreat and Parliamentary Group consultative meeting in Naivasha on February 19, 2024.
President William Ruto has reprimanded a section of Kenya Kwanza MPs for criticising his administration's policies, warning them that they could be unwittingly putting their heads on the political chopping board ahead of the 2027 elections.
The MPs were met with tough talk from the President, who said they were not following Kenya Kwanza's policies, particularly on the Affordable Housing Programme and the Universal Health Coverage project, and should do so henceforth.
He was speaking at the ongoing joint National Executive Retreat and Parliamentary Group consultative meeting in Naivasha, Nakuru.
The President's surprise was compounded by talk that some pro-government MPs were frustrating the Head of State, yet it is standard practice for lawmakers to collectively protect party positions and policies in Parliament.
Dr Ruto, who has been grappling with the fact that the ground has turned hostile as frustration grows over the economic situation, exuded confidence that he was still firmly in charge of KK MPs and was keen to counter dissent within his coalition.
“I want to ask MPs to pay special attention to some things we are doing because we are setting up the exam of 2027. You have the leakage of the exam and what you do with it is your problem. I have to remind you that I am a man on a mission and I mean it, and people should watch this space. There is no other government in Parliament, it’s our MPs, and you are the government, so stop pointing at some other government. Don't even imagine that there is another government,” Dr Ruto told Kenya Kwanza MPs.
Read: Moment of truth as President Ruto convenes three-day Cabinet retreat
“We all campaigned on the same platform and heard me talk about housing and UHC. When it comes to implementation some start complaints….How else did you expect this to be implemented? When the rubber meets the road, we must stay the course,” he said.
The President told the Kenya Kwanza troops that they have the necessary numbers both at the Senate and National Assembly to assist in transforming the country.
MPs last week started the debate on the Affordable Housing Bill 2023 to entrench the controversial Housing Levy into law in a bid to comply with court orders.
The bill sponsored by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah seeks to provide a legal framework for the establishment of the Affordable Housing Fund and give effect to the right to accessible and adequate housing as provided for in the Constitution.
Some MPs including Githunguri's Gathoni Wamuchomba, have criticised the President's affordable housing programme.
On Monday, the President stated his government was determined to implement the housing programme, insisting that they will ensure that all Kenyans who were left out of the housing levy are brought on board.
Some of the Kenya Kwanza MPs and Cabinet secretaries at the ongoing joint National Executive Retreat and Parliamentary Group consultative meeting in Naivasha on February 19, 2024.
"We will implement the housing programme, I don’t want to say by all means possible, but I have said we will implement it,'' he said.
A section of Cabinet Secretaries have also found themselves in the crosshairs of MPs, indicative of the political undercurrents and escalation of power struggles in the government.
Sports CS Ababu Namwamba, Labours Florence Bore, Alfred Mutua (Tourism), Susan Nakhumicha (Health), Moses Kuria (Public Service) and Prof Kithure Kindiki (Interior) have previously been embroiled in politics pitting Kenya Kwanza administration.
MPs have also threatened to censure CSs who fail to appear in plenary at the National Assembly to answer questions from lawmakers and called for a reshuffle.
On Monday, some MPs shocked the President saying they were unaware of job opportunities negotiated by his government abroad.
President William Ruto, his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya Kwanza MPs and Cabinet Secretaries at the ongoing joint National Executive Retreat and Parliamentary Group consultative meeting in Naivasha on February 19, 2024.
The legislators were particularly shocked that the government had only received applications from just 500 nurses against the targeted 2,500.
The 2,500 job opportunities for nurses secured by the Kenyan government in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have attracted only 1,000 applicants, with a surprising 500 of them being male, despite the positions being exclusively for females according to Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore.
But the president wondered if the MPs were serious about securing employment opportunities for their constituents if they were not informed of the deals his government was signing on labour export.
“The vacancies were advertised in the dailies…don’t you read them? I have talked about this thing in every meeting… There are things we mention as hot air as politicians, but this is not one of them. When you are seated in those meetings aren’t you supposed to find out where these vacancies are?
“Whenever I visit your counties you tell me about your opponents who lost elections and who need jobs, you do not talk about the rest yet there are opportunities. We must work together to change Kenya,” The president said.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua pointed accusing fingers at the CSs accusing them of sometimes treating MPs with contempt. The DP said there were complaints about their conduct.
“Talk to the elected leaders when you have programmes within their areas. If the president and I have to engage them, so should you. I plead with CSs and PSs to not delegate consultations of elected leaders to your personal assistants,” he said.
President William Ruto addresses the ongoing joint National Executive Retreat and Parliamentary Group consultative meeting in Naivasha on February 19, 2024.
He also implored Parliament to consider striking a balance when summoning ministers and allowing them to work for the betterment of Kenyans.
“Sometimes we’re unable to prosecute our agenda because ministers are in and out of Parliament but I believe with some engagements with the house leadership we can agree on how they can function and appear before house MPs,” Mr Gachagua said.
Read: Nurses' union, governors clash over plan to send healthcare workers abroad
The President and his deputy also hit out at former president Uhuru Kenyatta over his remarks on their style of leadership. Mr Kenyatta had accused the Kenya Kwanza government of steering the country in the wrong direction by focusing on the past.
"I heard somebody saying that you shouldn't look at the rear mirror. I want to encourage you to keep looking at the rear mirror because the inventor of the motor vehicle was not made by putting the mirror there," Mr Gachagua said.
On his part, Dr Ruto said: “Their problem is that it's us implementing the housing program and not them. They’re seeing it's doable yet they wasted time on reggae.”
Today, the retreat will evaluate the performance of ministries and state offices. Also to be discussed are the recommendations of the National Dialogue Committee Report.
"The retreat is expected to review the performance of all ministries and State offices and map out the priorities for 2024 that will be codified in the ministerial performance contracts. This year’s retreat has been preceded by a roadshow under the stewardship of the Public Service ministry in conjunction with the Cabinet Office," reads a dispatch issued Friday.
Today's meeting has significant importance as it will lay the groundwork for the formulation of Ministerial Performance Contracts, which will guide the government's agenda and initiatives throughout the year 2024.
