President spells out Government agenda

By Moses Njagih

Nairobi, Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta took over the reins of power with a pledge for an all-inclusive Government reflecting the face of Kenya.

The Fourth President of Kenya also pledged to implement a raft of policies within the next 100 days that are part of the Jubilee Coalition manifesto.

Uhuru declared his regime would abolish all maternity fees charged in public hospitals and dispensaries in three months.

“I am humbled and honoured to accept the mantle of leadership that Kenyans have bestowed on me,” Uhuru declared in his acceptance speech.

He added: “I will lead all Kenyans – those who voted for me – and those who voted for our competitors – towards a national prosperity firmly rooted in a rich and abiding peace in which unity can ultimately be realised”.

And with these words, Uhuru took over the leadership of the country from now retired President Kibaki, who has served the country for the last decade.

The President took no time in enumerating his Government’s agenda, short-term and long-term, promising to deliver on all the pledges his Jubilee team made during the campaigns.

He also promised to channel the Sh6 billion that had been set aside for possible run-off to a youth and women fund.

Devolution

Also to benefit from the promises the Jubilee had earlier made are children joining class one in public schools next year, after the President affirmed that the Government would give each of them a laptop.

“Within the first one hundred days, we will develop a framework to direct the Sh6 billion previously allocated for the election run-off towards establishing a new youth and women fund,” said Uhuru.

“We made a promise to our children and we will keep it because we believe early exposure to technology will inspire future innovation and be a catalyst for growth and prosperity,” said President Uhuru. Speaking in front of 15 heads of states from Africa, Uhuru promised to uphold the tenets of constitutionalism, with a promise of ensuring that devolution, as envisaged in law, is accomplished.

He said it was a constitutional duty for him to ensure devolution thrived. “Let us all be clear supporting devolution is not a choice as some claim it to be, it is a duty. A constitutional duty. 

One that I have sworn to uphold. Our Constitution does not suggest devolution, it demands it,” he said urging Kenyans to be persistent, pragmatic, patient and non-partisan in pursuing the devolved governance.

Uhuru reached out to Kenyans, saying that after the election and his assumption of office, all should focus on national development irrespective of their former political inclinations.

He said the “doomsayers” who had expected the country to explode after the General Election had been put to shame, urging Kenyans to ensure to forget the political competition that was witnessed since “elections is not enmity”.

The President hailed the contribution of his successors Kibaki and Moi, and also paid tribute to his late father founding President Jomo Kenyatta, saying he will endeavour to unite Kenyans.