Uhuru’s 10-point vow to Kenya

Nairobi. New jobs, free secondary school education, expanded health care and social welfare system top the list of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party promises for Kenya.

In its revised manifesto launched Monday, the ruling party says it has prioritised youth employment and targets to have created at least 6.5 million jobs by 2022.

The Jubilee administration has pledged to reverse the negative trend of job losses and initiate an ambitious programme to create 1.3 million jobs annually for the next five years if re-elected.

Against the background of few firms hiring, high food prices and high cost of living in their time in office since 2013, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto said they have a strategy to turn the tide and grow the economy

“Employment creation is at the heart of the next Jubilee administration’s priorities,” President Kenyatta said at the launch of the policy document at the Safaricom Indoor Arena. “We will concentrate investments in the sectors that are growth-oriented and job-creating.”

In 2013, the duo pledged a million jobs a year but had a shortfall of 200,000 with 10 per cent of that in the formal sector, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics figures show.

Creation of formal jobs reduced by a third last year from 128,000 in 2015 and 134,200 in 2013, the KNBS report, also known as the Economic Survey 2017, showed.

The revised manifesto is an expansion of the 2013 document, in which the regime targeted industrialisation, security, jobs and national unity—things it did not achieve.

In most cases, the manifesto seeks to correct the mistakes realised from 2013.

Youth

While it intends to continue with the Youth Fund and Uwezo Fund launched in 2013 to provide loans to the youth, Jubilee says it will launch Biashara Bank while a Youth Development Council would facilitate training and mentorship for youth.

Accountability

The Jubilee Party manifesto pledges that its next government would publish an annual report of contractors hired by the government. Critics have often said that ‘tenderpreneurship’ has thrived. The government will be more accountable through the digitisation of all government procurement; expand and deliver e-government services through the growing network of Huduma Centres.

“We will develop the Huduma network, expand the automation of public service delivery systems, digitise payments for all public services and enhance use of technology in law enforcement and support and enhance investment in the capacity of the judiciary to expedite the hearing and disposal of economic crime cases,” states the party manifesto.

Economic crimes

The party also promised to raise penalties for economic crimes and work with the Judiciary to ensure that these are resolved within 6 months, immediately deploy an enhanced protection and reward framework for whistle blowers and publish annual details of all procurement awards for major government projects.

Unlike in 2013, when they promised to construct five state of the art stadiums in five towns, which were not delivered, the Jubilee party now only commits itself to continue providing and improving sports facilities by finalising the construction of three new stadiums in Nairobi, Mombasa and Eldoret and the Kenya Academy of Sports. “We will also upgrade regional stadia in Kiambu, Makueni, Elgeyo Marakwet, Marsabit, Nyeri and Chuka and invest in setting up youth teams.”

Infrastructure

Build more roads, complete the Lamu Port, expand the Port of Mombasa, extend the standard gauge railway to Kisumu and expand the Mombasa-Nairobi highway to a six-lane thoroughfare.

Industry

Make Jua Kali a formal sector by 2022 and launch an industry in every county.

Wastage

Establish the General Services Agency (GSA), which will procure all supplies and office space for the government.

Savings

Sovereign Wealth Fund will save at least 5 per cent of extractive industry revenues.

Agriculture

Gradually lower exportation of raw agricultural materials and double export of processed agricultural products. They will also double the fertilizer subsidy initiative and reducing its cost to less than KSh1,500.

The subsidy programme will be expanded to include all crops with a resultant increase in production. Uhuru also pledged to support the expansion and capacity of local fertiliser manufacturing.

Education

Achieving a 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary school with free education in all public day secondary schools and double the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) funds to give loans and bursaries to students in technical and vocational education training institutes (TVET) and universities.

Free maternity care

In five years, they have pledged to expand free maternity care, and doubling the fertiliser subsidy initiative at less than KSh1,500 to reduce the cost to farmers The Jubilee leaders also pledged to construct over 500,000 low cost houses and 57 large-scale dams across the country.

Uhuru further promised that if re-elected, all Kenyans will be connected to electricity within three years of his second term in office. Elderly persons Jubilee also promised to double the number of elderly persons under the cash transfer programme and also reduce endemic corruption in procurement of Government services and goods through digitalisation of all state tenders.

“Jubilee government has already delivered improved security, economic stability and jobs. We have expanded access to affordable health care and modernised public services. But we now need to redouble our efforts to build upon the foundations of success. The task is not yet complete.

The work must continue and should not be derailed,” Uhuru said. “I seek to continue to serve as President of our great country because I have the vision, experience, skills and trust to deliver the stability, continuity and responsible governance.”