President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged Kenyans to choose progress over empty rhetoric when they decide the country’s destiny during the August 8 elections.
Speaking Sunday evening during a live online conversation with Kenyans on Facebook, the President urged Kenyans to vote for him so that he can implement his action plan to create 6.5 million jobs by building on the foundation he has laid in the last four years.
He said his administration has concrete plans to create more jobs, lower prices and make Kenya safer through proper investment in the right sectors.
The President said those competing with Jubilee do not have any plan to build on the progress the country has achieved in the last four years.
“No plan means no progress. No progress means no new jobs, higher cost of living, weakened security and a less prosperous Kenya,” said the President during the virtual town hall meeting through Facebook live.
CHOOSE PROGRESS
“Choose progress to build on the foundation we have laid down. Choose progress and prosperity over empty politics.”
He urged Kenyans to choose peace and security, adding that his action plan covers all that is needed to make Kenya more prosperous, peaceful and secure.
The President called on Kenyans to promote peace and unity as the country heads to the election.
“No matter the outcome of the election, we must remember that we are all Kenyans,” said the President.
He said the government has invested sufficient resources in improving the country’s infrastructure to support job creation.
SECURITY
The government has also invested sufficient resources to equip the country’s security forces to boost the safety of Kenyans, he added.
The President answered questions from viewers on varying subjects including how the government will make the cash transfer programme more efficient and how it plans to boost the development of North Eastern Kenya.
On the cash transfer programme, the President said the government will continue improving the efficiency of the expanded programme so as to shield it from abuse.
He said all Kenyans above 70 years will be eligible to be supported through the programme and that is one way of reducing loopholes for abuse.
Speaking on North Eastern Kenya, the President said the Jubilee administration has directed the largest amount of government funds to the region than any time before.
“Over the last four years more government resources have been spent in the formerly marginalised region,” said the President.
“My goal is to ensure that the word marginalised is no longer part of [the] Kenyan vocabulary,” said the President.
CONNECTED TO POWER
He said Garissa is now connected to the national power grid and that roads in the region are under construction.
On access to electricity, the President said 56 per cent of Kenyan households now have power, double the figure in 2013.
“My promise is that we will reach every single market, every single home so that all have access to electricity,” said the President.
The President also spoke on the Jubilee administration’s plan to improve the education system.
He said all primary schools have now received digital learning devices for those entering Standard One and added that the government will embark on a programme to build computer labs for those in upper classes.
FREE EDUCATION
The President spoke on plans to make secondary education free, the plans to ensure every constituency has a technical training institute and the plan to provide paid internships for graduates from the institutes.
The President also spoke on the government’s plan to construct a modern stadium in every county.
“The work of building stadiums is going on. We are currently building stadiums in Nyeri, Marsabit, Kapkatet and West Pokot,” said the President.
He said the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani has been upgraded and is now able to host any form of international sports event.
While still answering questions from viewers, the President said his highest moment while in office was when he rode the Standard Gauge Railway from Mombasa to Nairobi.
