President Uhuru Kenyatta delivered his much awaited State of the Nation address at Parliament on Thursday, speaking strongly on matters including the war on graft, the Big Four agenda and the need for leaders to work together for the sake of national unity and development.
The President vowed to carry on with the war on corruption, reiterating that it is just and is aimed at protecting the resources the country needs to grow.
“[There will be] no turning back in the war against corruption as it is a just war, a war to prevent misuse of public resources for selfish interests by those we have entrusted to manage them,” he said.
The Big Four agenda is a major part of the good legacy that President Kenyatta intends to leave when his second and final terms ends in 2022.
It concerns universal health coverage, affordable housing, food security and manufacturing.
Mr Kenyatta said he will not slow down in the achievement of these goals as well as those under the Building Bridges Initiative, which was one of the key results of his handshake with Orange Democratic Movement Leader Raila Odinga on march 9, 2018.
The following are the other key points from the President’s address:
- We are not turning back [in the war on corruption] because we are determined to gift our children a better Kenya than the one we inherited, a prosperous Kenya where respect for the rule of law and integrity are the accepted norms.
- Devolution has received the full and firm support of my administration, and, together with an enabling and supportive Parliament, we have seen it transform lives, revive local economies, and bring service delivery closer to the People. There is no turning back on devolution. The system is sound and has proven its value and contribution to national development.
- Kenya’s economy is strong and is expected to grow by 6.3 per cent in 2019 with improvements in the execution of the Big Four.
- To facilitate implementation of the Big Four programmes, I urge Parliament to fast-track the mediation of the Land Value Index Laws (Amendment) Bill , the Physical Planning Bill, the Irrigation Bill, the Warehouse Receipt System Bill and Kenya Roads Bill.
- Our focus is on socio-economic interventions in critical sectors that we believe will enhance the quality of life for all Kenyans, in ways that are tangible and measurable. In manufacturing, my administration is prioritising local motor vehicle assembly and manufacturing of spare parts. This initiative has witnessed Peugeot and Volkswagen assembly lines set up in Kenya.
- Our programme on Universal Health Coverage is expected to ensure a healthier nation as the basis for social and economic development. In this regard, we have successfully rolled-out the pilot phase of the programme in the counties of Isiolo, Machakos, Nyeri and Kisumu. The programme has witnessed enhanced access to essential health services, with an average increase of 39 per cent reported in the pilot counties. We are on course for the full roll-out of the universal health coverage in the year 2019/20 in the remaining 43 counties.
- Agriculture is the largest employer in the economy, accounting for 60 per cent of total employment. In recognition of its central role, my Administration earmarked the sector as a key pillar of the Big Four, as we seek to ensure food security and nutrition for all Kenyans. To address the perennial challenges in the sugar and maize sub-sectors, my administration commits to decisively act on the recommendations of the two sectoral taskforces that are slated to report their findings later on this month.
- My administration has prioritised reforms in the coffee sub-sector and implemented numerous interventions emanating from the recommendations of the Coffee Taskforce. These include the ambitious rehabilitation of 500 pulping stations (factories) in 31 coffee-growing Counties. With a view to comprehensively resolve the problem of undue delays in the payment cycle, we have set up a Sh3 billion Cherry Advance Revolving Fund to be operational from July 1, 2019. Consequently, all coffee farmers across the country will be able to access the cherry advance at a modest interest rate of three per cent
- Access to decent and affordable housing is a basic human right that my Administration is determined and committed to honour. We are fulfilling this through the Affordable Housing Programme. To realise this vision, we have promulgated the Affordable Housing Development Framework Guidelines, providing the enabling policy and financing for the roll out of this transformative programme. We are now on track to deliver affordable housing to Kenyans. This life changing programme is being undertaken in partnership with county governments and the private sector.
- We are not turning back on uniting the country. We have chosen the hard road of building unity and cohesion against the easy road of division. We are a greater people for it.
- The Building Bridges Initiative is engaging Kenyans across the entire country and soon we will have the opportunity to comment on its findings and recommendations. Against this background, I reaffirm a commitment previously made to this House of designating Sh10 billion to heal the wounds of historical grievance which have long poisoned by our politics and strained communal relations. With Parliament’s help, and through the affected communities, we will be applying the fund towards establishing symbols of hope across the country through the construction of heritage sites and community information centers.
- The government will disengage, rehabilitate and re-integrate into society former members of terrorist groups.