War on terrorism, lower cost of living top Uhuru agenda

President Kenyatta has accused unnamed nations and foreign institutions of funding the country’s youth to hold extremist views.

Addressing Kenyans during the Mashujaa Day celebrations at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, the President accused local organisation of being used to cause chaos.

“To this day, there are countries and institutions abroad that seek to advance their economic and geopolitical goals to our disadvantage,” he said in the televised address. “They fund and nurture various outfits whose actions and visions seem set to create cleavages between Kenyans.”

If they were to succeed, Mr Kenyatta said, “they would so completely rob us of faith in each other that we would put our destiny in the hands of unelected, unaccountable institutions that answer to elsewhere.”

However, the President did not elaborate his sentiments although he dwelt at length on the issue of security and asked Kenyans to embrace the Nyumba Kumi initiative that requires one to know one’s neighbour as a first step to crime reduction.

He spoke in the wake of reports that the military had gunned down five suspected terrorists on Saturday night as they tried to cross into Kenya with 100kg explosives on a pick-up.

He maintained that his government would jealously defend Kenya’s sovereignty against foreign agents and their collaborators by ensuring that there was transparency in the way money was raised and spent in both the public and private sector.

“This is especially important in enabling us to successfully combat the Al-Shabaab terrorists and their local sympathisers,” he said.
CONTINUE THREATENING

Revisiting the issue in his off-the-cuff speech in Kiswahili, Mr Kenyatta warned that the government will not succumb to threats of terrorism.

“Wale ambao wanaendelea kututisha na mambo ya ugaidi wakiongozwa na filosofia ya ujinga, kwa sababu huo ni ujinga, hakuna dini ambayo inakubali mtu kuua, (There are those who continue threatening us with terrorism using their stupid philosophy; it is a stupid philosophy as there is no religion that condones murder)” he said.

He also hit out at unnamed leaders, whom he accused of dividing Kenyans along ethnic and religious lines.

“To reap lasting benefit from the simultaneous implementation of devolution and regional integration requires a united people,” he said. “Unfortunately, too many of our leaders are masters at shouting at one another, seeking headlines more than real development, and using every ethnic and religious difference to try and split us.”

He asked such leaders to shun negative ethnicity and dedicate their energies to serving Kenyans.

On the social and economic front, Mr Kenyatta said the government was putting in place various initiatives to create millions of jobs for Kenyans, reduce the cost of power, increase food supply, boost social protections for the poor and improve infrastructure.

“My government has commenced a number of transformative initiatives aimed at the creation of millions of jobs. Foremost are large-scale infrastructure projects we have initiated that will accelerate our country’s economic development,” he said.

11,000 SCHOOLS

The government will expand energy production to reduce the cost of electricity from this month. To achieve this, it will generate an additional 5,000 megawatts of green, clean and reliable power to the national grid.

He noted that the government has already connected 11,000 schools to the national grid to boost academic performance. It has also planned to tarmac 10,000 kilometres of new roads over the next five years.

He said a combination of cheaper power, better infrastructure and improved security will enable Kenya to achieve a 24-hour economy.

“Even as we reach for the stars, I know that many Kenyans are struggling because food prices are still too high. The simple reason is that the supply is not adequately meeting the growing demand,” he said.

To boost food security, the government has put 10,000 acres of land under irrigation, but the ultimate plan is to commit one million acres.
The government was also taking action to help Kenyans affected by hunger in Northern Kenya.

Sh15.8 billion had been allocated to a five-year programme under the hunger and safety net programme covering Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir and Turkana, he said.

Addressing the gathering before inviting Mr Kenyatta to make his remarks, Deputy President William Ruto warned that nobody will be spared in the fight against corruption.

He said the government will support independent institutions like the Controller of Budget and the National Audit Office as well as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and parliamentary public watchdog committees to fight corruption.