In a landmark address, President William Ruto outlined the remarkable strides his administration has made over the past two years and announced significant changes in the cabinet, reflecting his commitment to drive further transformative change in Kenya. The President’s statement touched upon various sectors, emphasizing progress in economic stabilization, education, healthcare, housing, digital transformation, and governance.
Economic Transformation and Stability.
President Ruto underscored the achievements under the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which was the cornerstone of his campaign in the 2022 General Election. The government has made substantial progress in increasing food production by reducing the cost of farm inputs, thus lowering food and living costs. The administration has also taken decisive steps to stabilize the economy, averting a potential debt default, stabilizing fuel prices, lowering inflation, and stabilizing the foreign exchange regime.
Education Reforms
Significant changes have been implemented in the education sector, including resolving uncertainties around the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). A new student-focused higher education funding model has been rolled out, with special emphasis on students from vulnerable families. The government has also improved the student-teacher ratio by employing 56,000 teachers for primary and secondary schools and 2,000 tutors for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
Social Welfare Enhancements.
The President highlighted the resolution of bottlenecks in the cash transfer program for vulnerable Kenyans, including orphans, the elderly, and people living with severe disabilities. Beneficiaries now receive their stipends simultaneously with the salaries of public servants, ensuring timely support for those in need.
Financial Inclusion and Housing.
The Hustler Fund, a flagship program of the administration, has registered 22 million borrowers, with 2 million benefiting daily. Additionally, 7 million Kenyans who were previously denied access to financial services due to blacklisting by the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) are now off the blacklist. The Affordable Housing Programme, another critical initiative, has seen over 100,000 housing units under construction across the country, providing employment to 160,000 young people.
Manufacturing and Agro-Processing.
To expand manufacturing, value addition, and agro-processing, 18 County Aggregation and Industrial Parks and six new Special Economic Zones are under construction. Additionally, 200 integrated fresh produce markets are at various stages of construction to support farmers and traders. The government has also imposed levies on the importation of clinker, saving the country KSh20 billion in foreign exchange and reviving 11 steel factories that had closed in the past six years, rehiring 16,000 workers, and saving KSh110 billion in foreign exchange.
Digital Transformation and Healthcare.
The digital transformation agenda is on course, with 17,000 government services now online and 274 digital hubs operational, including in TVET colleges. The Universal Health Coverage (UHC) plan has onboarded 107,000 community health promoters, and the registration process for the Social Health Insurance Fund is ongoing, ready for launch on October 1, 2024.
Governance Reforms.
President Ruto announced measures to curb the engagement of state and public officers in Harambee (public fundraising), with the Public Fundraising Appeals Bill ready for publication. He acknowledged the high expectations of the Kenyan people and emphasized the administration’s commitment to undertake extensive transformation.
Cabinet Reshuffle.
In a dramatic move, President Ruto announced the dismissal of all Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney-General, except for the Prime Cabinet Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. This decision was made under the powers granted by Article 152(1) and 152(5)(b) of the Constitution and Section 12 of the Office of the Attorney-General Act. The President plans to engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations to set up a broad-based government to accelerate and expedite the implementation of radical programs aimed at dealing with debt, raising domestic resources, expanding job opportunities, eliminating wastage, and slaying the dragon of corruption.
Continuity and Future Measures.
Despite the significant changes, President Ruto assured that government operations would continue uninterrupted under the guidance of Principal Secretaries and other relevant officials. He promised to announce additional measures in due course, reaffirming his commitment to making the government lean, inexpensive, effective, and efficient.
In conclusion, President Ruto’s address was a bold reaffirmation of his administration’s commitment to transformative change in Kenya. The outlined achievements and the drastic cabinet reshuffle indicate a government keen on addressing the pressing challenges and meeting the high expectations of the Kenyan people. The coming months will be crucial as the President seeks to implement these ambitious reforms and steer Kenya towards a more prosperous future.
