All eyes are now on President-Elect –William Ruto to deliver on his political promises under the manifesto that he launched in June, this year.
Dubbed ‘The Plan’, which seeks to spur economic challenges facing Kenyans.
He promised to go against the usual way of doing business and carry out bold economic reforms in a coherent fashion, to accelerate job creation and leave no one behind in the empowerment process.
Speaking at Kasarani during the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto launch, Ruto said that unemployment is among the key challenges facing Kenyans.
“We must make devolution work effectively by fostering national unity and meeting the elevated expectation of citizens. This will have important implications for Kenya’s future economic and social conditions,” he said.
Kenya Kwanza’s bold plan is to step into transforming the economy to achieve durable growth while maintaining macroeconomic stability and empowerment of the people at the bottom of the pyramid, the “hustlers.”
As per Kenya Kwanza’s vision, trickle-down economics does not work because the “free market” is not free, or fair; it is rigged for the privileged, captured and monopolized by cartels.
Ruto “Social experts have revealed that the triple down economic model has failed because personal interests override the public interest where selective interest in policy and legislation supersedes the common good. It is based on an assumption that the market is properly governed and regulated. But most often, the market is captured by cartels driving it to monopolistic and duopolistic tendencies.”
Boosting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME)
The Kenya Kwanza government will allocate Sh50 billion annually to provide MSMEs with reliable access and cheap credits that will help them create employment for Kenyans.
As part of the fund’s allocations, they also seek to provide one street trading premises for every 50 urban residents
They promised to establish MSME Business Development Centre in every ward as a way of spurring entrepreneurial skills within counties.
Agriculture & Food Security
As a way of curbing food security, they plan to pump Sh 250 billion into the agricultural sector effective 2023.
This is aimed at cushioning farmers, especially those in rural areas to be productive by raising their productivity of key-value food chains and cutting basic food imports by 30 per cent.
Affordable Housing and Settlement
Construction of 250,000 affordable houses every year through public-private partnership initiatives.
Ensuring that there is an increase in mortgage uptake among Kenyans. They target at least 1 million Kenyans to own every year.
They also plan to set up Settlement Fund to acquire land and resettle up to one million landless Kenyans.
Health Care
They will ensure Kenyans have access to affordable healthcare by financing the primary healthcare sector.
ICT & Creative Economy
To drive digital connectivity in Kenya, they plan to construct a 100,000-kilometre fibre optic connectivity network that will help in reducing the cost of internet to Kenyans.
They also plan to roll out fibre connectivity to counties, villages, schools, over 24,000 businesses and homes
To foster software development in Kenya, they plan to set up Africa Regional Hub and promote the development of Software for export to other countries.
Education
For effective delivery of education to Kenyans, they plan to pay for in-service teacher training.
They also plan to bridge the current teacher shortage gap within two financial years
Ruto’s government plan to merge HELB, TVET and University Funding Board under a National Skill & Funding Council
His administration will also set up a National Open University and implement a 100 per cent transition to higher learning institutions.
To foster research and development within the university and tertiary institutions, they plan to increase funding allocations from 0.8 per cent to 2 per cent of GDP
Gender
Two-thirds of gender rule in elective and appointive positions in the public sector, within 12 months.They have allocated 50 per cent of cabinet positions to women.
Kenya Kwanza pledges to the citizens
- They plan to invest at least Sh250 billion in five years effective 2023 to boost Agriculture and food security.
- Ruto’s government seeks to allocate Sh50 billion annually to provide MSMEs with reliable and cheap credit that will drive the growth of this sector and create employment.
- Building e 250,000 new affordable houses every year through a public-private partnership
- Setting up a settlement fund to acquire land and resettle up to one million landless families
- NHIF: Establishment of new level 6 hospitals in six new sites and hiring an initial 20,000 health care workers.
- Constructing a 100,000-kilometer fibre optic connectivity network
- Bridging the current teacher shortage gap within two financial years
- Doubling the amount of money allocated to the school feeding programme
- Appointing all judges nominated by JSC for appointment to the Court of Appeal within seven days
- Lower cadre officers (sergeant and below) to be given the option of serving in their home counties from age 50.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel,Switch TV.
