President William Ruto’s constant compromises on Kenya Kwanza’s key ‘unpopular’ programmes and policies have exposed his administration’s soft underbelly.
On Thursday, Ruto made a big U-turn on the controversial Adani deals in the latest series of aboutturns that have left his government with egg on the face.
These developments have brought to the fore questions of competency and orientation of the President’s dream team that is supposed to sort issues affecting Kenyans.
University don Herman Manyora said the blame lies with the President – the government’s vision bearer – and his team of advisors and technocrats, who are the vision drivers.
“The President is supposed to have a vision for the country. He is then supposed to look for vision drivers who will transform his vision and ideas into implementable policies. If anything goes wrong, they are to blame,” Manyora said.
The scholar said the President’s change of plan show his administration’s programmes and policies are not well thought out to align with the aspirations of Kenyans.
“If you look at these projects and policies the President has been forced to change his mind about, they are not well thought out. They weren’t good. They were not well-intentioned,” he said.
President Ruto has several advisers, including the economic and legal experts whom he picked to drive his vision.
This is besides Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, who are mandated to actualise the President’s vision in their ministries.
Governance expert Javas Bigambo observed the President’s concessions speak to some issues.
Ruto could be over-ambitious to implement all mega projects in his manifesto in his first term in office.
“To implement these projects, in terms of finances they need a huge budget, which the taxpayers cannot be able to raise in his first term. That is why he is adding taxes and going for partners in private partnership arrangements,” Bigambo said.
In addition, the about-turns on the controversial policies and programmes expose the capacity of advisors – both in the ministries and the President’s council to drive the vision. According to Bigambo, there is a need for three-layered scrutiny of all government programmes and policies before they are rolled out.
“Scrutiny should happen at the ministerial level, at the offi ce of the Attorney General and fi nally in the Cabinet before they are taken to the people,” he stated.
However, MPs, especially those allied to his Kenya Kwanza Alliance, say the President’s concessions show he is a ‘listening’ head of state.
“I hope going forward, this is the same spirit we will embrace of listening to people because the people are always supreme,” nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri said.
“The President has spoken well, especially on corruption. Public participation is a key thing and I’m happy the President has listened,” Garsen MP Ali Wario said.
During his State of the Nation address to Parliament on ursday, President Ruto ordered the immediate cancellation of the multibillion-shilling deals with the government following public uproar.
They include a Sh95 billion deal with Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) to build a high-voltage power transmission line.
The Ministry of Transport has also been negotiating a Sh260 billion project for the expansion of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. e development triggered outrage after revelations the Adani Group, whose top officials have been indicted for bribery allegations in the US, would operate the facilities for 30 years.
Kenya Airports Authority workers downed their tools, leading to paralysis at the airport and cancellation of flights.
“I now direct - in furtherance of the principles enshrined in Article 10 of the Constitution on transparency and accountability, and based on new information provided by our investigative agencies and partner nations, that the procuring agencies within the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum immediately cancel the ongoing procurement process for the JKIA Expansion Public Private Partnership transaction, as well as the recently concluded Ketraco transmission line Public Private Partnership contract, and immediately commence the process of onboarding alternative partners,” the President said.
The climbdown comes at a time the President is under intense pressure to do away with the controversial new health programme– Social Health Authority – and the new university funding model. e aff ordable housing programme and the rollout of digital identity cards are other controversial programmes pushed by the Kenya Kwanza administration. In June, Ruto withdrew the controversial Finance Bill, 2024 following sustained protests led by youthful Kenyans, commonly known as Gen Z.
"Having reflected on the continuing conversation regarding the content of the Finance Bill 2024, and listening keenly to the people of Kenya who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this Finance Bill 2024, I concede, and therefore I will not sign the 2024 Finance Bill,” Ruto said during a televised address,” Ruto said.
The President’s decision came just a day after the bill was passed by Parliament, despite nationwide demonstrations against it. Protesters had even broken into the Parliament Building, vandalising the interior and setting parts of the complex on fire.
The ceremonial mace, symbolising the authority of the Legislature,
was also stolen during the chaos.
Ruto also succumbed to public pressure and sacked the entire
Cabinet that had been accused of
incompetence and opulence.
Last year, the President was
forced to suspend the activities of
the selection panel for the recruitment of IEBC commissioners. This followed a protest by opposition leaders, leading to the formation of the National Dialogue
Committee (Nadco).
