On September 13 last year, President William Ruto was sworn into office in a colorful ceremony that was attended by thousands of people including all seven heads of state of the East African community. I remember the mood was palpably upbeat, as the nation grappled with another opportunity to renew its commitment towards progress and prosperity.
We are celebrating one year and it will be very important to look back at what has been achieved so far.To begin with, the Kenya Kwanza administration took over a dilapidated economy.
The country was reeling in debt, complete with unsustainable subsidies for fuel, electricity and unga. Things were going south and there was no end in sight. Within a year, the President has steered the economy back on track, with a reduction in expenditure by Sh300 billion. Further, he has stopped borrowing by more than Sh500 billion.
Instead, he has focused on increasing production by stimulating key and emerging economic sectors to procure more than Sh311 billion that will be used to finance the budget. KRA only missed its target slightly and is on its way to achieving its target of Sh3 trillion.
Secondly, the cost of basic commodities such as maize flour and cooking oil that had skyrocketed have come down significantly, though not enough; still it has, eased the burden on the common mwananchi.
In fact, to help spur more food production, President Ruto has reduced the cost of fertiliser from Sh7,000 to a low of Sh2,500. For the first time, more than five million farmers have been registered.
The KK government has also employed a record 55,000 teachers within the year, up from an initial target of 30,000. This has really enhanced employment and increased access to opportunities for nearly 300,000 people directly, assuming one newly employed teacher has about five direct dependents.
This increase will also improve the teacher-student ratio and therefore improve learning outcomes. The President has also established and is currently implementing the recommendations of the CBC task force’s report in order to ensure that the new curriculum is properly rolled out.
The fact that moneys to university students have been doubled means that more deserving but less privileged students will be able to access higher education. On fuel prices, the President has entered into direct sourcing of bulk fuel from the oil-producing companies to stabilise the prices, against a depreciating shilling to the dollar. In fact, the President has been a key voice for the de-dollarisation of African markets as a result.
Another achievement is rolling out the affordable housing programme that has seen many young people get jobs. I witnessed one such group of youth who have signed up to make windows and doors as jua kali artisans in the Thika Affordable Housing project commissioned on August 9.
In addition, the KK administration has started county industrial parks to enhance local manufacturing of products to increase our GDP ratio from the current seven to the required 20 per cent. This way, we will be able to export to more to other countries as well.
To leapfrog Kenya into the digital future, the 100,000 kilometers of fibre optics are being rolled out in the first phase, and 1,450 ICT hubs, one in the every ward are on course to create jobs and markets for local upcoming entrepreneurs. A local affordable smart phone is also being launched into the market.
The government has further enhanced the rule of law by appointing more Court Appeal and High Court judges. This will increase access to justice by reducing the backlog of cases The President has kept his promise of obeying court orders, for example, the ones on the CAS appointments and the Finance Act.
It is amazing how President Ruto has taken on the climate change agenda with gusto at the international level, by becoming the de facto African voice. He has also launched a campaign to plant more than 15 billion trees by the year 2032 and he recently hosted the first Africa Climate Summit (ACS23).
Moreover, his administration, under the leadership of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, has robustly rolled out reforms in the coffee and tea sectors. The fact that 100 dryers have been purchased will enhance prices for farmers since their produce can be preserved quicker and longer to reduce wastage and loss. The 500 milk coolers have raised milk prices since farmers can bargain more fairly. It has also helped reduce monopolies by certain companies, enhancing competition to benefit both the farmer and the consumer.
NHIF reforms have seen more people benefiting from this health insurance scheme towards universal coverage, while more than 650,000 Kenyans have registered under the NSSF. The new reforms have led to greater savings, hence, better retirement benefits that are now payable within 90 days.
Fiscal consolidation has also led to exchequer release to counties, NGCDF and MDAs in July, something unprecedented in the last 10 years since devolution took off. In short, President Ruto is on his way to deliver his campaign pledges in the next few years, going by his first year in office.
