- Mudavadi said the Kenya Kwanza Agreement provided that ANC and Ford-Kenya would each get 30 per cent of the government.
- Western Kenya counties account for 7 million people or 14 per cent of Kenya’s population, and 2.6 million voters in last year’s elections.
Image: PCSP
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has said the government has done fairly well in the Western Kenya region in terms of appointments and development compared to its share of electoral votes.
He told the residents that they should not fear as regards the development of the region.
The CS said it's a democratic right to vote whichever way without worrying about being discriminated against in the aftermath of an election.
Mudavadi, however, advised the region to always hedge their vote where it will be meaningful after the elections.
"Electoral democracy always provides a second chance in post-election deal-making. We must learn to quickly transit from sulking about electoral defeat to the reality that there is a government of the day from which we must expect to be served," Mudavadi said.
The Prime CS spoke on Sunday during the Mulembe Nation Inaugural Socio-Rconomic Summit 2023 held in Kakamega.
Mudavadi said the Kenya Kwanza Agreement provided that ANC and Ford-Kenya would each get 30 per cent of the government.
He, however, said there was a rider that the region must contribute 70 per cent to the presidential vote from their bastion counties of Busia, Bungoma, Kakamega, Trans Nzoia and Vihiga.
The counties account for 7 million people or 14 per cent of Kenya’s population, and 2.6 million voters in last year’s elections.
Mudavadi said the KKA Agreement provided for the revival of sugar factories, 1,00km tarmacked roads, gro-processing and Aggregation Manufacturing industries, rice-growing revitalisation and housing projects.
Mudavadi admitted that the country is facing probably the worst financial and economic situation it has faced in decades, across every parameter that is measurable.
He said the government has had to make painful decisions to manage runaway national debt for which the previous regime borrowed to stay afloat.
"No doubt there is manifest pain that we are taking, but it is not in vain. Honestly, it is a short-term pain for long-term gain," he said.
"I find no comfort and have no intention of giving Kenyans a false sense of a strong shilling or cheap fuel, which has resulted in pain. Believe me, I don’t sleep easy either."
Mudavadi said on his prediction, the government will manage to revive the economy within two years.
He said to alleviate the economy, the government believes it can raise revenue by having more Kenyans and Kenyan businesses pay their fair share of taxes.
He affirmed that this by no way means taxing Kenyans more saying that if everyone paid their fair share of taxes, they will eventually pay less taxes.
"By widening the tax net, we will raise more revenue for our development objectives. We therefore do not want to necessarily tax people more. The important objective is to get more people to contribute to paying tax and eventually measures to widen the tax net will create the conditions for taxation rates to eventually start falling," he said.
On the promise to create jobs, Mudavadi assured that it is well on course and several other things outside the conversation on taxation are facilitating job creation.