It is time to innovate our way into the future

President William Ruto during the 59th Jamhuri Day celebrations at Nyayo National Stadium on December 12, 2022. [Kelly Ayodi, Standard] The futuristic theme of our 59th Jamhuri Day celebration revolves around technology and innovation. The promise of innovation is to enable us connect, innovate and inspire. As we enter the sixth decade of independence, we can proudly cite many achievements and impressive progress made through our own consistent efforts as evidence that our freedom struggle was neither an empty political adventure nor a reaction born of idle resentment. Our forefathers were long-suffering innocent victims of imperial plunder and colonial oppression, yet also heroic defenders of our inalienable sovereignty and valiant fighters for our freedom. As we celebrate them, it is also the occasion to reflect deeply on the founding aspirations of our nation. It is time to re-dedicate ourselves to the fundamental commitment binding three generations of our people. First, we must interrogate, with honesty and courage, whether we have been true and worthy heirs of our forefather's proud heritage. Second, we must have a candid discussion about whether we have behaved well towards one another, and the extent to which we have been mindful of justice, dignity and freedom in our time. Third, we have to evaluate our desire, ability and determination to be faithful trustees of future generations. By all human indicators, we have made admirable progress. 82 per cent of our people know how to read and write. Any of them has fairly substantial levels of education, with skills and professional qualifications to make Kenya truly self-reliant in every sector. Life expectancy has risen significantly, and we have eradicated polio, and other diseases which, in the old times, decimated our people by their thousands. More children born in Kenya today live to see their fifth birthday than ever before, and the rate continues to increase at very encouraging figures. Our country is more secure, with adequate numbers of personnel in our disciplined services. Traditional security threats are under control, with the government making huge strides to eliminate banditry, cattle rustling and urban crime. Trustees of our future Yet, we are in a situation of unprecedented uncertainty, with many, complex and interconnected threats arrayed against our shared aspirations. In the midst of this daunting urgency, complexity and threat, we remain ever mindful of our mandate as the stewards of the well-being of our present generation, and the trustees of our future. We have a duty to forge the way forward with courage, diligence, unity and imagination. Mindful of this solemn obligation to do right while laying the foundation of a flourishing nation for future generations, I have pursued several interventions since I took office, nearly three months ago, with the urgency, zeal and focus that the moment demands. As a result of these interventions, a dramatic revolution is quietly underway, which is transforming the country, including opening the space for the 'who', as well as 'how, of participating in enterprise for rapid socio-economic growth. The bottom-up framework we are implementing is including everyone, from the smallest possible business unit run by individuals of modest means, to our celebrated captains of industry. Perhaps more profound was the launch on November 30 of the Hustler Fund, an innovative revolving fund combining credit and savings, to support and empower many Kenyans to access affordable credit. The fund is available on digital platforms and accessible to individuals. It is clear from the records available in the last two weeks that under this programme, Kenyans have found a platform to save. Clearly, Kenyans know the value of borrowing and paying contrary to the rhetoric of sceptics. By all accounts, this is revolutionary. It is time to innovate our way into the future. It is for this reason that, on this Jamhuri Day, we as a nation are staking our claim by rallying Kenyans to begin the work of designing a world much richer, safer and freer country than we have known. Innovation is frequently associated with technology, and we must avoid the pitfalls of viewing technology and innovation as preoccupations with things at the expense of people. The most significant breakthroughs in technological innovations have greatly enhanced human well-being. Young innovators The platform that supports all the transactions on the Hustler Fund was developed locally, has opened up access to affordable credit, liberated millions of hustlers from the vicious grip of shylocks and other predatory lenders, and enabled Kenyans of all walks of life to mobilise savings. This revolutionary technology is a continuation of Kenya's illustrious tradition of pioneering innovation in the financial technology sector. I have asked the Ministry of Education to work with these young innovators on the delivery of our pledge to provide sanitary pads for schools. We have agreed on partnerships to support local organisations in providing opportunities for young Kenyans to acquire training and skills in the various aspects of digital productivity. We are also exploring ways of making the benefits of monetisation of online activity available to Kenyan content creators on more platforms. I have spoken directly to Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram, to monetise content for our digital entrepreneurs that will exponentially multiply incomes and create employment opportunities for others. I am impressed and encouraged by the power of monetisation and remote jobs. This is the way to the future. If I was not a State officer, I wonder what the content on my small Facebook page, with 2.3 million followers, would earn me daily. As we have all witnessed today from the performances, our creative sector is ready with thousands of highly talented and promising youth waiting to seize opportunities to stream high-quality content for monetisation. My administration recognises sports and the arts as a mega industry that can employ millions of our youth and help grow our economy. This is why we have moved with speed to get our football back, protect Kenya's proud athletics pedigree from doping, and streamline the collection and distribution of royalties to our artists. Through the revolutionary 'TALANTA HELA' Plan, we will rebuild and monetise our sports and creative industry. As part of this plan, I have accepted to champion a grassroots football development programme that will see the national government work with county governments to invest heavily in youth football. Arrangements are at an advanced stage to launch a Bottom-up football tournament to be contested by under-19 teams from all 47 counties. We will work with our governors for each county to build a team right from the ward level. This is the first step in our Football Vision 2030 where we target to see Harambee Stars play at the 2030 World Cup and Kenya host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Digital Workforce Together, let us build Kenyan football Bottom-up, from the grassroots of our villages to the grand stage of the World Cup. We are ready to take our place as the digital workforce of the world. Our commitments, under the Digital Superhighway component of our Plan, were intended for this specific purpose. To underscore our intent, we are today unveiling several cohorts of graduates whose training was supported under arrangements between the government and the private sector. Safaricom re-trained a number of university and TVET graduates to meet the digital industry needs in software engineering and data science. Also graduating today are the Presidential Digital Talent Programme, a class of talented youth selected by the Information and Communication Technology Authority for training through internship. Additionally, it is a big day for the beneficiaries of the Kenya Commercial Bank Tujiajiri Programme. We are committed to supporting young Kenyans in re-establishing this country as the republic of ideas and the home of innovation. Through a dedicated Start-up Fund, the government will support the most innovative ideas each year to scale up into viable enterprises and commercial brands that will provide employment and drive economic growth. The government will work with our academia to establish the Kenya Open University within the next one year. I urge our scholars and intellectuals to play their part in democratising education and open the way for anyone and everyone to quench their thirst for knowledge, education and training. In conclusion, it is our time to make a contribution that will define Kenya for posterity as the envy of nations and a country that we, our children and their children will be proud to call home. We also have the task of preparing the nation for its future by equipping and empowering our youth to take charge as leaders in a brave new world through innovation. Let us, therefore, rally and join our efforts in the timeless spirit of Harambee to exploit the opportunities at hand and hasten our progress into the future. Ruto is the President of Kenya.

It is time to innovate our way into the future

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