President William Ruto on Monday used his first Jamhuri Day celebration since assuming office to outline some of his achievements, promising to deliver on election pledges.
The President, who addressed the nation from Nyayo Stadium, affirmed his administration had done fairly well in fulfilling the Kenya Kwanza agenda in the last 90 days.
Ruto said he has in the last three months pursued several interventions since he took office "with the urgency, zeal and focus that the moment demands."
The President revisited his actions on the first day to strengthen the Judiciary as some of the sweeping interventions that indicate his commitment to respecting the rule of law.
"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," Ruto said.
"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."
On his first day in office, Ruto also executed the necessary instrument to actualise the financial independence of the national police and appointed an independent accounting officer.
The operational independence of the police is necessary for its efficiency, professionalism and accountability, Ruto said on Monday.
He said his administration has 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.
"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," the President said.
In a continuation of his reforms in the policing sector, Ruto said he will before the end of the year appoint a task force to review the terms of the police service.
During the campaigns, the President and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua promised to improve the welfare of the police including enhancing their pay within 100 days.
Under pressure from the opposition that he was off course in fulfilling his 100 days promises, the President on Monday he said will not turn back on his pledges.
For the first time, this year's Jamhuri Day celebrations were themed around technology and innovation – Ruto's key priority area for job creation and economic revolution.
The President added that as promised, his intervention caused fintech institutions to free over four million borrowers from the Credit Reference Bureaus listing.
In the speech coming 90 days into his reign, Ruto also cited the rollout of the Hustler Fund on November 30 as having revolutionised the economy.
He said the fund was proof that advanced technology, which he said would be the backbone of his growth plan, pays off.
“If there was any doubt in anybody’s mind about the power of technology, just look at what has happened on the Hustler Fund.”
The President announced that in a record 12 days, the fund has 15.4 registered million subscribers who had borrowed Sh7.5 billion.
“The good news is that we have registered savings to the tune of Sh400 million in 12 days. We are well on track to a billion in a few days without committees or secretariat,” he said.
“Today, Sh1.2 billion has already been repaid by Kenyans who borrowed through Hustler Fund,” Ruto said, telling off those against the fund.
In an apparent call for patience, the President said he was equally on course to reduce the prices of unga, and other basic commodities.
President Ruto said the fertiliser subsidy programme has seen farmers access affordable fertiliser at Sh3,500 per bag from the initial Sh7,000.
The President added that the planned importation of 10 million bags of assorted foods would also help close the food gap – albeit temporarily.
He further announced plans, together with the private sector, to import 300,000 tonnes of fertiliser for the planting season of January to April.
Of these, Ruto said a consignment of two million bags has already landed at the port of Mombasa, and the rest will arrive in January.
“The government will continue to subsidise the price of fertiliser and farmers will buy at Sh3,500 a bag,” Ruto said.
The President added that plans for constructing 100 new dams under a partnership with the private sector would also improve food production.
“The new mega dams will be built around the country through PPP anchored on water purchasing agreements for the private sector to build enough irrigation facilities,” the President said.
In the campaigns, however, it was anticipated that the prices of basic commodities would record a dramatic drop immediately after Kenya Kwanza took over.
But the hard times, which have been the subject of political noise by members of the opposition and NGOs, have persisted.
The pressure of expectations remains high amid growing doubt that the new administration would meet the pledges satisfactorily.
The Kenya Kwanza brigade promised to reduce the cost of unga, fuel and other household commodities immediately after taking oath.
They said unga would be Sh70 and that fuel would be sold at Sh100 per litre, the same remaining pricey in the face of high prices of water and electricity.
Unga traded an average Sh180 per 2kg bag while sugar went for Sh312 as of Monday. Prices of other items like cooking oil and toiletries equally remained high.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga has outlined countrywide anti-Ruto rallies citing as grounds the new administration was not living up to its promises.
We intend to transfer 85 per cent of the remaining government services to the digital space….so that Kenyans don’t have to travel or queue to get government services
The Azimio la Umoja team wants the new administration to speedily deal with the high costs of unga, fuel, school fees, electricity, and bus fare.
The Raila-led team also wants the Ruto administration to immediately restore and enhance cash transfer to the elderly and the Linda Mama programme.
"The spirit to reclaim the country remains alive and strong and no one is giving up. As Azimio, we promise that we shall continue to stand together and fight together until the Ruto regime returns to what really matters to the people," the opposition team said.
But while dismissing the naysayers, Ruto maintained that the baby steps by his team were already being felt.
“A dramatic revolution is quietly underway, which is transforming the ‘who’, as well as ‘how', of participating in enterprise for rapid socio-economic growth,” he said.
Ruto said his team would adopt technology as the key driver to revamp the ailing economy, saying it would permeate the education, health, and government services sectors.
The President said this would be achieved with the planned construction of a 100,000km digital superhighway.
“We intend to transfer 85 per cent of the remaining government services to the digital space….so that Kenyans don’t have to travel or queue to get government services,” Ruto said.
He explained that the changes would be in six months, adding that the fertiliser subsidy, universal health coverage, and jobs plans would be anchored on the technological platform.
“Our subsidy programme will be on e-vouchers to 1.3 million farmers. Going forward, our fertiliser subsidy will be dispensed on the internet to eliminate brokers and cartels,” Ruto said.
He added, “We have a target of one million jobs from the technology space…we have had a candid conversation with tech leaders on this.”
On e-health, Ruto said the UHC plan would be built on the tech platform so that “all health records are made portable.”
Apart from the technological interventions, Ruto said he was keen on fulfilling his jobs plan through affordable housing.
The President told Kenyans that the jobs are available in the already launched 40,000 housing units, adding that 160,000 others are yet to come.
Ruto further promised to reengineer the manufacturing sector with a view to increasing its GDP contribution to 20 per cent.
He said works were underway for establishing agroprocessing units at the country’s main SEZs in Dongo Kundu, Naivasha Industrial Park, and Athi River.
With this, Ruto promised that his administration would facilitate value chains for coffee, tea, avocado, leather, and cotton.
On the police reforms, the President said he was elated that “there is now consensus that a new policing paradigm is at hand.”
“I commend the entire National Police Service from the constable on the beat to the IG for the enthusiasm with which they have embraced the changes.”
Further on jobs, Ruto announced that the government would hire 11,000 youths initially engaged under Kazi Mtaani to plant trees in Nairobi.
He further pledged that his administration would support sports through a countrywide tournament “to build a Harambee Stars from the grassroots.”