AZIMIO SUPPORTERS STORMS GOVT OFFICES

Members of Parliament allied to the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition are now threatening to lead their supporters to storm government offices in protest of the Kenya Kwanza government’s unfulfilled promises.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, the MPs led by ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said President William Ruto had failed to honour promises made during the campaign period.

According to the legislators, the cost of living in the country continues to rise despite President Ruto’s assurance that the government is in control. The MPs accused the Head of State of lying and taking Kenyans in circles regarding the country’s state of economy.

“In the beginning, Kenyans were told costs would come down as soon as Ruto put the Bible down after being sworn in. Since putting the Bible down and prices refusing to come down, Kenyans were told fertilizers had been brought.

Still prices refused to come down,” the MPs said hours before the 14-day ultimatum issued by Azimio leader Raila Odinga for the government to lower the cost of living lapses.

“Then we were told Kenya had licensed GMO foods. Still prices refused to come down and economy refused to pick up. Then we were told to wait for six months. Each time the months arrive, the goals post shifts again.”

The opposition MPs threatened to lead protests at government offices if the Executive does not come clean on its plan to address the cost of living in the country in the next few days.

“We want answers and if they do not come in the next few days, we will have no option but to lead our supporters into these offices for answers. We will follow these officers anywhere and everywhere for answers and not warnings,” the MPs warned.

They dismissed Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s claims that they inherited a broke government, insisting that former President Mwaki Kibaki inherited a far worse economy but managed to turn it around in just months.

This is not the first time Kenya’s economy has gone to the dogs. When the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) took power in December 2002, the economy was at its lowest. It was growing at about 1 per cent. The World Bank, the IMF and most bilateral donors had cut funding for Kenya. Tourism had collapsed.

The road network had collapsed. Infrastructure was in tatters. Corruption was at its highest as the only thriving industry. There were no decent jobs for university graduates. Businesses had cut costs to the bone, including a series of massive layoffs. Banks typically charged individual borrowers 30 per cent interest for a loan.

.”..But NARC did not set about writing a book of lamentations about how bad the situation was. NARC did not set about telling people how bad the situation was.

The people were already feeling the situation. Instead, the new regime set about programs to ensure that the people started benefiting from their electoral victory,” the MPs said.

According to the lawmakers, within months of coming to power, the NARC government presented the country with a result-based programme of priority government actions designed to meet the medium-term objectives of the Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation.

“To address the economic stagnation, NARC targeted the strengthening of the macroeconomic framework. They unveiled a more responsible fiscal policy.

They unleashed the private sector to participate in investment particularly in the productive sectors and, specifically, in infrastructure development and maintenance,” they said.

“To improve equity and reduce poverty, Narc unveiled a program focused on universal free primary education, improved access to basic health, expanded productive capacity in agriculture and the development of the then overlooked and semi-arid areas of the country.

The Rainbow Coalition further focused on upgrading the living conditions for urban dwellers through the slum upgrading programme.”

The legislators claimed that Ruto had mismanaged the little he found in public coffers.

“Today, months after Kenya Kwanza came to power, day in, day out, Kenyans are bombarded how badly things were when the Kenya Kwanza regime took over. William Ruto never tires of telling us how President Uhuru Kenyatta ruined the country.

“It does not seem to matter that Ruto was Deputy President that entire period. It doesn’t seem to occur to him that he found the Statehouse budget pegged at 4Billion which he increased to 9B ostensibly for tea and Mandazi.

He has introduced offices hitherto unheard of in public service including prayer warriors, office of the first daughter and office of the spouse of the Prime CS,” they added.

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