President William Ruto is on Sunday expected to speak to the country on the state of the nation over a year since he took over the reins of power from his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.
The interview, which will be beamed live by multiple TV stations between 7pm and 9pm, comes over a year since Ruto was elected into office.
In his very first State of the Nation address delivered before both Houses of Parliament on November 9, Ruto defended his government’s IMF and World Bank-backed economic reforms which the Opposition has largely blamed for the rising cost of living.
He said the reforms, which include scrapping fuel and maize flour subsidies introduced by the Uhuru regime in which he served as the Deputy President, and expansion of the tax base have helped stabilise the economy.
The President said painful as they may be, the reforms are for the good of Kenyans as they are aimed at weaning the country off overreliance on debts.
Kenya, he said, had been living beyond its means.
“The time has come, therefore, to retire the false comforts and illusory benefits of wasteful expenditure, and counterproductive subsidies on consumption by which we dug ourselves deeper into the hole of avoidable debt. The new direction may not be easy, but it is ethical, responsible, prudent, and most importantly, necessary,” he said.
During Sunday’s interview, however, the President may find himself in a tight spot to explain to Kenyans his government’s appetite for borrowing that has had him at loggerheads with the Opposition.
Whilst data from the National Treasury shows that the Uhuru regime borrowed only Sh437 billion in the first 12 months, Ruto borrowed Sh419.46 billion from the domestic market alone in the first nine months of his reign from when he assumed office in September 2022.
Over the same period, the President sourced Sh716.92 billion from the international market from his numerous foreign trips that have again attracted heavy criticism from the Opposition under Raila Odinga's leadership.
But while speaking in Kisii on Saturday, the President said his trips abroad have had positive returns as he has secured job opportunities for Kenyans.
"I do not travel as a tourist, I travel to seek job opportunities for Kenyans in the whole World. Soon you will see the results.' he said.
Also expected to feature prominently during Sunday’s interview will be issues surrounding the implementation of proposals of the National Dialogue Committee.
The Star will be on deck to bring you full details of the interview as it unfolds.