President William Ruto on Friday used the occasion of the swearing-in of his new ministers to outline the progress made in the implementation of his hustler agenda.
He highlighted affordable housing, the digital economy, universal health coverage and investments in agriculture as some of the sectors at full-prone impact of the hustler agenda.
The president noted that in the last two years and four months, a lot has been achieved in priority sectors, but cautioned that much more remains to be done to fully implement the bottom-up agenda.
He said that the Beta agenda is well underway, with intensive work being carried out across the country in all the priority value chains and cross-cutting enablers that constitute its strategic pillars.
He spoke at State House during the swearing in of the three CSs.
On the government's affordable housing plan, Ruto said that thousands of new housing units are being completed to bridge the affordable housing gap.
Regarding Agriculture, Ruto said that the country’s productivity in agriculture and livestock has enhanced self-sufficiency in critical crops, such as maize and sugar.
“Community health promoters are actively delivering timely and quality primary healthcare services at the grassroots level, as we make unprecedented strides in universal healthcare coverage,’’ the president said.
Ruto said that the digital and creative economy strategy is delivering last-mile fibre optic networks and digital hubs in every ward across Kenya.
He said thousands of Kenyans have already tapped into the opportunities the sector offers.
“We are only getting started,’’ he said.
On the hustler economy, Ruto said the sector is also undergoing an unprecedented transformation as the government promotes financial and regulatory inclusivity through the Hustler Fund and related institutional measures.
The president said that the ambitious transformation is unfolding in challenging economic times, marked by volatility in the prices of essential commodities, especially petroleum.
He said this is in the backdrop of global conflicts, geopolitical disruptions in supply chains an oppressive debt crisis fueled by an unfair global financial system, and extreme weather patterns exacerbated by climate change.
“These factors have complicated our post-pandemic recovery, constrained fiscal space, and diverted resources from development to debt repayment, disaster recovery, and climate action,’’ Ruto said.
“As a result, our capacity to create opportunities at a pace that addresses unemployment for the growing youth population has been severely impacted.”
The President said that in the daunting context, the people of Kenya have tasked his administration with the responsibility of undertaking a historic transformation.
“We acknowledge the complex and dynamic challenges before us, but we remain determined to see through the implementation of our transformation agenda,’’ he said.
Ruto said that this moment calls for extraordinary ability, strength of character, steadiness of purpose, clarity of mind, and devotion to our national values and principles of governance.
"It also demands unity, teamwork, synergy and goodwill within and among various teams and organisations that comprise government. The cabinet and the executive are no exception.”
The President challenged the new CSs that as the implementation phase of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda progresses, they must get it right every time.
"I trust in your ability, readiness, and willingness to provide effective leadership and look forward to benefiting from your true and faithful counsel," he said.
