President William Ruto yesterday defended the finance bill including the proposed housing levy, which has been met with opposition.
During this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations, attended by two visiting heads of state, Ruto said the housing fund is beneficial as it will create job opportunities.
“Many countries are struggling in vain to generate a national debate on public financing, taxation and policy issues, in Kenya we have easily sustained intense discourse on the finance bill and affordable housing for weeks now, the debate has remained issue-oriented and there is no hint of divisive ethnic rhetoric at all,” he said.
In his one-hour speech, Ruto who addressed an ecstatic crowd said the event comes at a time when Kenyans have been freed from the bondage of political, conman ship experienced before.
He said that the 2022 campaign was conducted purely on the basis of important national issues including economic issues where Kenyans did not only reject the old divisive politics of tribe and tribal chiefs, but demanded and interrogated well-considered party manifestos with detailed plans for economic transformation.
Substantive policy issues
He said: “Our public discourse and political discussion and the agenda of social debate has changed for good. Substantive policy issues continue to define the national conversation well beyond the election. At the moment, there is a robust debate on the Finance Bill taking place everywhere in this country: Church, social places, formal and informal workplaces, all media platforms and busy markets, as well as in urban and rural gatherings.”
The chief guest during the event was Comoros President and African Union Chairperson Azali Assoumani. Also in attendance was former Niger President Issoufou Mahamadou.
The event was also attended by Kenya Kwanza team members including Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua his wife Dorcas, Prime cabinet secretary Musalia Mudavdi his wife Tessy Musalia, cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries.
Others present include Chief Justice Martha Koome, Attorney General Justin Muturi, speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula and his senate counterpart Amason Kingi among others.
Opposition leaders led by Azimio leader Raila Odinga, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, skipped the event
The leaders have been castigating the Ruto administration over what they termed as poor policies and have vowed to rally their members to oppose the finance bill. At the stadium, Embu residents who started making their way in to the arena as early as 6am gave Ruto and his entourage a rousing welcome as he made his way in to the new ground which was constructed in a record 15 weeks where he inspected a guard of honour mounted by the various security agencies led by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
Ruto made his way into the stadium at around 11:30 am accompanied by the Chief of Defence Forces Francis Ogolla and was received by the Gachagua.
At the arena, traditional dancers and about 1500 pupils from various schools in the county performed a set of skillful entertainment. The pupils showcased the map of Kenya before key leaders gave their speeches. Local fashion stole the show at the celebrations with a number of dignitaries including First Lady Rachel Ruto, Rigathi’s wife Dorcas Rigathi, Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru, Mudavadi’s Tessy donned African attire.
Kenya’s progress
Before the entertainment began, the guests were entertained by a fly past mounted by the KDF aircraft as well as march past by the Kenya Scouts, Girl guides and St Johns Ambulance led by Wahundura High School Scouts band.
Assoumani who took over as AU chair in February thanked President William Ruto for supporting his candidature to become the chairperson of the African Union.
While lauding Kenya’s progress since independence, Assoumani said that while some African countries slowed down on the post-independence take off, Kenya had accelerated its progress. ‘’I thank Kenya for supporting the candidature of Comoros as chairperson of the African Union for 2023,’’ he said.
He said Kenya and Comoros share a lot in common in culture and trade even as he assured of deeper ties with the two countries.
