President William Ruto yesterday said he had put in place a plan that will transform the nation and ensure the country’s economic revival.
At the end of the four-day retreat with his Cabinet and senior officials of his government at the Fairmont Safari Club in Nyeri, he said he had aligned members of the Executive with his dream to bring prosperity to the country. The President said that each of the members of the Executive had been given specific tasks to ensure responsibility and improve service delivery.
While his deputy Rigathi Gachagua will deal with issues touching directly on Kenyans, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi will coordinate with the legislative arm of government.
“We have planned the government in such a way that all matters will run smoothly, and I assure Kenyans that we will work hard to transform this nation,” the President said at Nanyuki Stadium during interdenominational prayers.
“The Office of the Deputy President will have a state department that will oversee the relationship between the national and county governments. I deliberately assigned that responsibility to the Office of the Deputy President so that we can amicably work with the county governments,” President Ruto said.
“The Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary will have a state department that will oversee the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature. I suggest that even as you formulate the final amendment to the Standing Orders, his office is engaged so that we can agree on how to have all questions answered in Parliament by CSs,” he said.
President Ruto said the changes will ensure proper coordination among the three arms of government and improve service delivery.
The Head of State spoke even as details of the gruelling retreat emerged, with Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro telling the President he “punished” them with a strict daily programme that saw them deliberate issues from 7am to 10pm.
By yesterday afternoon, CSs and PSs were still holed up in meetings at the hotel fine-tuning various plans and projects in readiness for implementation.
Mr Gachagua said the President had demonstrated that he was in charge of his government by being involved in laying out the plans, unlike “the previous administration where people were given responsibilities and failed to actualise them”.
President William Ruto (right) with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua (left) and Prime Cabinet Minister Musalia Mudavadi (centre) during a past event.
Photo credit: PCS
“You have started very well because you are involved in each and every plan. This is the way it should be because by the end of the day it is the two of us who will be held to account. The CSs and other executives will not be there to answer questions from Kenyans in case things go wrong,” Mr Gachagua said.
The DP further revealed that there were plans for a homecoming ceremony for the President in Mt Kenya region, which will include a road show from Nairobi and culminate in a meeting at the Sagana State Lodge.
On Saturday, Dr Ruto met with chairpersons of committees in the Council of Governors (CoG) as well as the Senate and National Assembly leadership and promised accountability and a government that works together to achieve one dream.
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru who is the CoG chairperson told Kenyans that President Ruto had laid out a solid plan to transform the nation.
“If Kenyans knew what went on at the retreat, they would not have any doubt that the Kenya Kwanza government was the right choice,” Ms Waiguru said.
On development in Laikipia, the President promised to fast-track the completion of key development projects that had stalled during his predecessor’s regime. This was after he held a consultative meeting with the county leadership before attending the interdenominational prayers.
He promised to deploy 360 additional Kenya Police Reservists in volatile parts of the county that have been experiencing banditry attacks.
The president said he will convene a meeting with owners of wildlife conservancies and ranches to facilitate the speedy opening up of roads under construction.
“I will ensure that the Nanyuki-Rumuruti road is tarmacked under my leadership. The Nanyuki-Doldol road will also be tarmacked. But before we start the process of constructing these roads, I will have a meeting with the owners of conservancies and ranches so that we agree on how they are going to fence their pieces of land,” Dr Ruto said.
The 70-kilometre Nanyuki-Rumuruti road connects Laikipia East and Laikipia West sub-counties while the 60-kilometre Nanyuki-Doldol road links Laikipia East to Laikipia North sub-counties.
The President also promised to speed up the construction of stalled dams in the region to boost agricultural production.
He said his government, through the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) will map out areas in the county where fences will be erected to reduce cases of human-wildlife conflict.
Dr Ruto also tasked his DP Gachagua to deliver title deeds and resettle squatters in Nanyuki in March this year.
Earlier, MPs Mwangi Kiunjuri (Laikipia East), Sara Korere (Laikipia North) and Wachira Karani (Laikipia West), Senator John Kinyua and Woman Rep Jane Kagiri had presented several grievances to the Head of State.
Mr Kiunjuri assured the President that leaders in the county will support his administration in implementing development projects.
“As leaders of Laikipia, we shall spend 99 per cent of our time articulating issues and telling Kenyans what your government is doing,” Mr Kiunjuri said.
“Yes, we need industries and factories in this county. But we have to agree with you (President) where we shall be able to have this dream actualised without politicising the process,” he added.
On her part, Ms Korere said she has resolved to “come home” and work with the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“Even in the Bible, the greatest moment of the prodigal son is when he managed to return home. Today, your prodigal daughter has returned home,” the second-term Jubilee MP said.
Ms Kagiri called on Dr Ruto to create more employment opportunities in the county by establishing a textile industry in Nanyuki.
Mount Kenya Textile industry (Mountex) was established in the 1970s and was one of the most vibrant industries, precipitating the growth of Nanyuki’s economy.
“When I was a young girl, I saw over 1,000 residents getting in and out of the Mountex industry in Nanyuki. The previous regime had promised to revive it but that has not been fulfilled. But we believe that the industry will be revived soon under your leadership so that we can create jobs for our people,” Ms Kagiri said.
Other MPs who accompanied the President were James Gakuya (Embakasi North), John Kiarie (Dagoretti South), Reuben Kiborek (Mogotio), John Paul Mwirigi (Igembe South), Moses Kirima (Imenti Central) and John Kaguchia (Mukurwe-ini). Njoroge Wainaina (Kieni), Rahim Dawood (Imenti North) David Gikaria (Nakuru Town East), Meru Woman Rep Elizabeth Kailemia and senator Karungo wa Thang'wa (Kiambu) were also present.
