Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said the economic challenges the Kenya Kwanza administration found when it came into office are not because of former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime.
Speaking when he hosted political and grassroots leaders from Taita Taveta county on Thursday, Kindiki clarified that when they say the economic situation was bad, many people assume they are blaming the Uhuru administration.
He said that is not the case, adding that it was as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“President William Ruto has spent the last two years working on the foundation of a stronger economy. When he assumed office we had very serious economic foundational challenges and many people mistake when we say so and think we are blaming the previous administration. That is not true,” Kindiki said.
He explained that at the time Uhuru was leaving office, most resources had been channeled towards saving the lives of Kenyans.
The Deputy President said that the pandemic forced a worldwide lockdown that saw no economic activity take place in the country for about one and six months.
Kindiki said the situation was also coupled with many other global issues that directly affected the country.
“At the point when President Uhuru was leaving, we had just come out of one of the biggest pandemics in the history of mankind called Covid-19. For a whole one and a half years, the economy was shut down, nobody was working, people were staying at home, there was no productivity and all the resources of the country were diverted to save our lives.
“Because of Covid and other global issues by the time Ruto took over high inflation, weak currency, high interest rates, and all foundational problems we have been dealing with in the last two years.”
Kindiki further noted that unlike it was with the last two administrations, President Ruto has been able to remedy the economic foundational challenges in just two years.
He noted that Presidents Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenya took at least five years to deal with the macroeconomic situations they found in office.
“Ruto has used only two years and what remains is microeconomic growth, incomes, revitalising sectors where a majority of Kenyans derive livelihoods from. Agriculture, livestock, fisheries, mining, among others, as well as creating jobs.”
