Recently, the opposition has been trying to smart out of the absence of the doyen of opposition politics Raila Odinga, by coming up with different formations to oppose President William Ruto.
On one hand, is a group led smarting out of the impeachment defeat, who have been pouring out vitriol against any great development work by a government that they were once part of. The second group comprises of the remnants of Azimio, after ODM joined President Ruto to form the Broad Based government. The third group comprises of those disgruntled by the success of the government, such that they feel that it’s them who should have occupied the plum positions within the executive.
Their message is devoid of unity, to the extent that after unveiling their spokesperson, nothing much has come from their speaking as one, thus, exposing their soft underbelly, despite the bravado that is displayed in the public. Each of the many outfits is singing their own chorus, joined together by the incoherent hymn song of wantam vs tutam, without giving any alternative ideas on how they would run the country.
It is also true that most of them are reminiscing their days in the government, when their track record is unclear. What most Kenyans are grappling with is, what is it that they would do different, having previously occupied senior positions such as Vice and deputy president, ministers of key dockets such as interior, education, justice, Agriculture, foreign affairs etc. their track record including where they come from is dismal. One can clearly see that the focus is not so much about delivering to Kenyans, but to pursue power for the sake of it.
Their tactics include the employment of maandamano (demonstrations), since they know very well that if there is confrontation between the citizens, especially the youth and the police doing their constitutional duty of maintaining law and order, they will use this political fodder in their ever predictable character of seeking for sympathy and whipping up emotions. What they have resulted into is open lies and propaganda as recently witnessed in Kisii whereby one of the leaders alleged a plot to kill one of their own without any substantiation. They are relying on sentiments to create a false narrative with the view of confusing the public into voting them without a clear agenda for the nation.
At the core of it, is the desire to obscure the people from seeing the tremendous work that the government has done thus fur within a limited period of slightly more than 3 years, noting very well that the economy was on its deathbed when President William Ruto took over on 13th September 2022.
To them, they can’t countenance a situation whereby their rather dismal performance during their tenure, can be eclipsed by the unassailable track record of the Kenya Kwanza, turned Broad-Based government. Off all the winnable candidates who are all angling to be the flag-bearer, non can match the vision, clarity, focus, determination, energy, international appeal, yet the local touch that President Ruto embodies and espouses.
It is absolutely clear to them that there is tangible evidence of the fulfilment of promises as enshrined in THE BETA PLAN especially the 5 pillar. There is something to show in the manner in which SHA has helped many to avert medical poverty.
Recently at Karatina open air Market, I met Joseph, who told me that despite his wife not being fully recovered, he doesn’t pay a single coin when he takes her to the clinic, with his Ksh 5,000 salary as a watchman? This is just but one of the little miracles happening across many little villages and places in the country.
The little sparks of transformation happening ubiquitously in the mundane of life. In the hustle and bustle that is the rat race that defines our present day struggles. This is what visionary leadership can do to this great country towards the first world Singapore dream.
The same story has been replicated in the NYOTA program. When there was hue and cry about bringing the youth onboard during the GenZ protests, the government took note and now we hear the same opposition complaining after the successful roll out of the NYOTA program. This initiative is empowering 121,800 entrepreneurs nationwide, equally distributed with a minimum of 84 in each of the 1,450 wards across the country. Another 90,000 will be engaged for apprenticeship complete with a monthly stipend. The program is highly transformational and many youth are already giving positive stories on how their lives are transforming.
If you look at affordable housing, over 41 professions have benefited from the project, with the houses being built across many counties without discrimination. It’s amazing how Kenya has become a construction site, now that over 6,000 kilometers of roads are being constructed, thanks to the government paying Ksh 177 billion in pending bills.
Clearly, President Ruto is way ahead of his competitors.
The Writer is the Government Spokesperson of the Republic of Kenya
