President says officials embezzling public funds have no place in government

President William Ruto exits Kiprugut Chumo Stadium after Mashujaa Day national celebrations on October 20, 2023. [PCS] President William Ruto said all taxes and levies collected by the national and county governments must be prudently used as he vowed to weed out corrupt officers in order to realise his development agenda. Speaking during the Mashujaa Day national celebrations at the Kericho Green Stadium - now renamed Kiprugut Chumo Stadium after the first Kenyan Olympic medalist in Kericho County - the Head of State assured Kenyans that public funds will not be wasted and or embezzled by corrupt individuals. "There will be no room for misappropriation and looting. I repeat, all those involved in stealing and corruption and shady dealings, mambo yao ni matatu (they only have three options)," said Ruto. "Let us all do whatever we do without underestimating our potential. If anything you do helps in building the nation, the government will be there to hold your hand," said Ruto. During the celebrations, President Ruto reiterated said the government is focused on lowering the cost of living by increasing agricultural productivity and expanding land and other resources for production. He said the government's agricultural support programme has provided farmers with access to fertiliser, affordable credit and extension services. Ruto noted that by the end of July, the government had distributed 3.5 million bags of region-specific crop fertilizers in 41 counties to registered farmers, working with county governments for last-mile delivery. The results he noted is evident as over 200,000 acres were placed under cultivation this year. "We are looking forward to a bountiful 44 million bags from the long rain season and 61 million bags overall for both seasons, marking an impressive increase of over 40 per cent," he said. He said fertiliser support for the short rain crops is now available at National Cereals and Produce Board depots and urged all unregistered farmers to use this opportunity to register so that they can benefit from subsidized fertilizer. At the same time, he said that to bring down the cost of importing edible oil, the government is supporting sunflower farming. "To reduce our national edible oil import bill of $1 billion (Sh148 billion), the government is supporting sunflower cultivation by distributing 600 metric tons of seeds to farmers in partnership with counties in the Eastern, Western, and Nyanza regions, during the short rain season," President Ruto said. The President revealed that over 13, 000 government services are now available online, an increase from 320 that were available as of September 2022. Ruto said the government is currently rolling out the last mile of 100,000km of fibre optic infrastructure throughout the country to improve health facilities, schools, Judiciary offices in far-flung areas, and other public institutions. Further, the government he said is setting up 25,000 WiFi hotspots targeting fresh produce markets, bus parks and other public spaces. He said they are also working with MPs in the set-up of 1450 ICT hubs in every ward in the country. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua revealed that the selection of Kericho County as the venue for this year's Mashujaa Day celebration was a deliberate choice. He underlined the historical importance of Kericho, noting that it was one of the hotspots of local resistance to British colonial rule, particularly when local residents were stripped of their land rights. Gachagua highlighted the sacrifices made by these individuals. "They put their lives on the line for the country to attain independence and restore dignity to Kenyans," he said. Kericho Governor Erick Mutai outlined his administration's commitment to healthcare, with a notable 1,600 Community Health Promoters. "My administration will allocate 50 per cent of its budget to match the stipends provided by the national government to these workers," he said. Dr Mutai also emphasized the benefits of hosting the 60th Mashujaa Day celebration, including the launch of an Intensive Care Unit at Kapketet Sub County Hospital and an ecology centre at the newly elevated Kericho County Level Five Hospital. Additionally, the county saw the development of 10 kilometres of new roads. "We are also excited about the launch of the construction of Kerenga Airstrip, with the prospect of an airstrip and potentially an airport in Kericho," he said. Mutai, committed the county to align with Kenya Kwanza's plan to expand Kericho town and has dedicated 1,000 acres of land in the Chelimo region. Angola President Joao Lourenco, who was expected to grace the Mashujaa celebrations, did not attend and was represented by his Foreign Affairs Minister Tete Antonio. President Ruto said his Angolan counterpart will have his state visit on Saturday, October 21, 2023.

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President says officials embezzling public funds have no place in government

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