Ruto’s Week: Inside President’s Packed Schedule
President William Ruto as usual had a full tray as the weekend started after a five-day coastal tour.
The Head of State who is always known to have a busy diary, had a quiet Monday with no public events.
On Tuesday, however, the ever-busy President had four separate events with three of them being at State House.
Early in the morning before 9 am, Ruto held a Kenya Kwanza Parliamentary Group meeting at State House.
The over 200 leaders were led by the House leadership from the National Assembly and Senate.
In the meeting, more bills were agreed to be presented before Parliament as Kenya Kwanza Government aims to continue delivering its manifesto.
They include Bills on conflict of interest, anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism financing, and new regulations on public debt management.
Ruto took the opportunity to commend parliament for a sterling job in the enactment of the Finance Act, the four laws that will anchor the Universal Health Care program, and the amendments to the Privatisation Act, among others.
“Parliament has been very crucial in supporting the government’s national development agenda,” he said.
The role of the National Government Constituency Development Fund was also discussed at the meeting.
This was about the role the fund will play in tree planting and environmental conservation in general, the setting up of digital hubs in every ward, and the construction of extra classrooms in Junior School.
After the PG meeting, Ruto made his way to Langata Road where he graced the African Continental Free Trade Area Conference at Strathmore University.
Later in the day, the Head of State hosted Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala at State House.
The two countries agreed to enhance trade and investments where each will gain from enhanced cooperation.
“I reaffirm Kenya’s commitment to deepening and broadening our relationship with the Czech Republic and looking forward to many more fruitful engagements in the future,” Ruto said.
The head of State urged the Czech Republic to consider establishing a hub in Nairobi and use it as a gateway to the broader region.
“We have agreed to establish a business council which will serve as a platform for bilateral talks for the private sector consultations and engagements,” Ruto said.
He highlighted that the decision by the Czech Republic to establish a business hub in Kenya will expose it to a 400 million market in the East African Community, 750 million market in the Tripartite Free Trade Area and more than 1.4 billion market in the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Still, on Tuesday, Ruto launched the Pending Bills Verification Committee where he pledged to clear the Sh600 billion debt that the government owes its suppliers, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises
“We must restore confidence in the people who do business with the Government by paying them in time. When we pay in time, we will bring discipline in our country’s fiscal management,” he said.
The Committee will be chaired by the Former Auditor-General Edward Ouko.
On Wednesday, the President received credentials from the newly-appointed Romania Ambassador to Kenya Serbu Gentiana.
Thursday was the day Ruto made his first State of the Nation address at Parliament buildings.
However, before that, the President made an impromptu visit to the Ruiru Affordable Housing Project site in Kiambu.
He briefly talked to the works on site as he inspected the ongoing project which is set to deliver 1,050 housing units and create 4, 000 jobs.
“Our housing agenda will change the narrative of homeownership for ordinary Kenyans while creating opportunities for our youth and entrepreneurs during construction,” Ruto said.
In the afternoon, the President in the company of First Lady Rachel Ruto arrived at the Parliament buildings.
Ruto was received by his deputy Rigathi Gachagua and the house leadership from both the Senate and National Assembly.
In his address, the President boasted of what he termed as his first-year achievements and what he plans to do.
He also revealed how he had been forced to make difficult and unpopular decisions to rescue the country from economic ruin and set it on the path to rapid development.
The President articulated the tough interventions his administration has undertaken to turn around the economy.
“We have had to make hard decisions and make painful choices because we owe it to Kenyans to do the right thing and confront facts as they are without flinching or equivocating,” Ruto said.
The Ruto-led administration has been under fire for scrapping subsidies on crucial consumables including fuel, triggering an immediate price surge.
It also ended the subsidy on maize flour and instead opted to subsidize production.
The regime has been on the spot for raiding the pockets of the working class through the introduction of a raft of taxes, including a 1.5 percent Housing Levy.
However, President Ruto stated that the tough decisions, coupled with the targeted interventions in agriculture, health, education, and security among other crucial sectors, have set the country on the path to accelerated growth.
“The new direction may not be easy, but it is ethical, responsible, prudent and, most importantly, necessary,” he said.
Later that evening, the President jetted out of the country for his 40th foreign trip.
He joined several African leaders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the Saudi-Africa summit.
Ruto called for enhanced collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Africa in the development and sustainable exploitation of clean energy.
The President observed that the region’s combined hydrocarbon and green energy resources hold promise for meeting current and future energy demands.
On Saturday, he met South Sudan President Salva Kiir on the sidelines of the ongoing Saudi-Africa summit in Riyadh.
Ruto commended the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and Jeddah processes in their bid to restore peace in Sudan.
Ruto’s Week: Inside President’s Packed Schedule
