Deputy President Kithure Kindiki addresses a section of leaders from Nakuru County on January 29, 2025/PHOTO/X. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki held a series of meetings at his Karen residence during the week, coinciding with his sharp criticism of his predecessor.
Kindiki hosted delegations from Nakuru, Tharaka Nithi, and Isiolo counties, intensifying efforts to mobilize grassroots support for the government’s development agenda.
For the first time since his elevation, Kindiki responded to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, dismissing his assertion that President William Ruto would serve only one term.
Speaking at his Karen residence on Wednesday, Kindiki condemned such statements as “cheap politics” that do not align with the interests of Kenyans.
“I saw some people yesterday declaring that their sole motivation is to make William Ruto a one-term President. Really? And then? How can that be your primary motivation as a leader?” Kindiki posed.
The Deputy President emphasized that Ruto’s legacy would not be measured by the duration of his tenure but by the transformative impact of his administration’s policies.
“President William Ruto, by the grace of God, is among the five Kenyans privileged to occupy the highest office in the land. Even if he doesn’t secure a second term but succeeds in transforming lives through improvements in health, the economy, education, housing, and job creation, he will have fulfilled his mission,” Kindiki said.
On Monday, Gachagua announced plans to build a political coalition, which he said would unseat President Ruto in 2027.
“We are part of this team and will walk this journey together to liberate this country,” Gachagua declared. “We will make whatever sacrifices necessary to ensure William Ruto is a one-term president.”
That same day, Kindiki chaired the 26th Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) in Karen, Nairobi.
During the meeting, he urged governors to set realistic Own Source Revenue (OSR) targets to prevent the accumulation of pending bills due to revenue shortfalls.
“We commend county governments for achieving notable growth in OSR, with some surpassing the Sh1 billion mark in collections. I encourage all counties to set realistic targets to avoid financial setbacks,” he said.
Kindiki also outlined seven key focus areas aimed at transforming Kenya’s economy during Ruto’s tenure.
These include macroeconomic stability, revitalization of critical value chains, infrastructure support—such as roads, markets, County Aggregation and Industrial Parks, and Special Economic Zones (SEZs)—job creation, affordable housing, and education and health sector reforms.
He further stated that Kenya is on course to increase electricity access through the Last Mile Connectivity Project, which aims to connect at least 12 million homes by next year. Currently, 10 million households have access to electricity, with 700,000 new connections made in the past two years.
Last Friday, Kindiki concluded the week with a consultative forum in Kajiado County, bringing together elected leaders, economic stakeholders, and grassroots representatives to assess ongoing and proposed development initiatives.
On the same day, he held a review meeting with Cabinet Secretaries to evaluate the status of government projects.
The discussions focused on macroeconomic stability, agricultural and livestock development, infrastructure improvements, affordable housing, job creation, Universal Health Coverage (Taifa Care), and education reforms.
On Saturday, Kindiki was at State House, Nairobi, to welcome Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embaló during his state visit.
On Monday, Kindiki attended the Extended Bureau retreat on the Implementation of Institutional Reforms of the African Union at State House, Nairobi.
The meeting was attended by African leaders, including President Ruto (Kenya), President Azali Assoumani (Comoros), President Umaro Sissoco Embaló (Guinea-Bissau), Taye Selassie (Ethiopia), and former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, alongside African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat.
On Wednesday, Kindiki hosted a delegation from Nakuru County, including members of the county executive and MCAs.
He emphasized that continuous consultation between the National and County Governments is key to identifying and harmonizing priority development needs at the grassroots level.
“These consultations will enhance service delivery, prevent duplication of efforts, and ensure prudent management of public resources,” Kindiki stated.
On Thursday, he led an interministerial forum to track the progress of local and diaspora job creation initiatives.
Kindiki reported that the labour mobility programme had already secured jobs for over 200,000 Kenyans abroad, with plans to place over a million more once bilateral trade agreements are finalised and a national skills inventory is established.
“The government is also setting up 1,450 Digital Hubs, one in every ward, to enable youth access digital job opportunities such as content creation and software development,” he said.
Later that day, Kindiki met with leaders from Isiolo County as part of his ongoing series of consultative meetings at his Karen residence.
