State of the nation address: Expectations high as Ruto set to deliver first scorecard
President William Ruto makes his remarks at State House, Nairobi on October 21, 2023. President Ruto will address the nation on Thursday, November 9.
What you need to know:
- President Ruto will address the nation on Thursday highlighting Kenya Kwanza achievements.
- The President is required to give a status update to the country once every year.
President William Ruto will next week make his second State of the Nation Address in parliament on his administration’s implementation of the three obligations stipulated in the Constitution.
After he assumed office last year in September, the Head of State made his maiden address at the start of the life of the 13th parliament, outlining Kenya Kwanza’s legislative agenda to Kenyans for the next five years.
This Thursday, President Ruto is required under Article 132 (1) (c ) of the Constitution on the functions of the president, to give a status update to the country at joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate.
This will be Ruto’s first score card to Kenyans, marking the end of his ‘honeymoon’ as legislators will be required to interrogate the three tabled reports on state of security, Chapter 10 on National Values and principles of governance and the international obligation.
The president’s role, it states: “once every year, report, in an address to the nation, on all the measures taken and the progress achieved in the realisation of the national values, referred to in Article 10; publish in the Gazette the details of the measures and progress and submit a report for debate to the National Assembly on the progress made in fulfilling the international obligations of the Republic.”
President William Ruto flags off the earth movers during the groundbreaking for Lamu East’s first tarmac road and a technical training institute at Kizingitini on Saturday, November 4.
According to National Assembly Majority Whip Silvanus Osoro, they expect the president to appraise Kenyans on his achievements.
“He will be updating us on the milestones achieved so far, especially on the economy and external debts,” stated the South Mugirango MP.
But National Assembly Minority leader Opiyo Wandayi said as opposition they don’t expect much from the president’s highlights.
“There is not much to expect from the speech in terms of dealing with the runaway cost of living,” said Wandayi.
He added: “The occasion has simply been turned into a ritual. It will just come and pass.”
In the past one year, President Ruto has criss-crossed the country assessing the security situation.
He has replaced and appointed top security boss at the National Police Service led by Inspector General Japheth Koome, his deputy in charge of police Douglas Kanja, Director Criminal Investigations Mohammed Amin and the spy chief Noordin Haji.
The country has witnessed a wave of Al Shabaab attacks especially in Lamu and Northern counties, bandit attacks, as well as inter-community border fights.
It is also under his regime that the country was shocked with the revelations of the ongoing case on the Shakahola massacre, in Kilifi County, where scores starved to death in the name of religion.
The president will also address his administration’s obligation on the national values and Principles of governance at a time he is wading off claims of rampart graft among state officers and public officers’ ethics.
Public officers have been fingered over alarming public utterances with his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, terming his administration as a ‘government of shares’. His case is not isolated, his officers including Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) have been called out over their foul utterances.
