Presidential speeches centred on economy and security

President Jomo Kenyatta (centre) and his Vice President Oginga Odinga (left) during Madaraka Day celebrations. In 1977, Kenyatta was still contending with runaway inflation. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

Since independence, Kenya’s four presidents have had to grapple with challenges unique to their administrations. Each handled these challenges in their own way.

The Standard went to the archives to analyse Madaraka Day speeches from the presidents to get a glimpse of the issues.

Founding father Jomo Kenyatta’s last speech largely talked of the economic advances and the milestones his government had achieved. Among the milestones was reduction of illiteracy levels and the provision of piped water.

However, even in 1977, Kenyatta was still contending with issues such as runaway inflation.

“As worldwide inflation continues with many impacts on strengths of currencies and flows of international trade, we have had to surmount many challenges on our economic planning,” Kenyatta said.

He talked of the importance of agriculture to the young economy and the challenges on this front. But 40 years later, his son, just like his predecessors, is yet to find the silver bullet that will make Kenya food sufficient.

President Daniel arap Moi’s speech during the Madaraka Day celebrations of 2002 focused on three key issues: regional peace, globalisation and the then heated political temperatures in the country.

Unlike his predecessor, who was worried only of poverty and illiteracy, Moi had new headaches to fret over. At the time, Kenya’s dominance as a regional economic powerhouse was facing challenges from unlikely quarters.

As his government insulated itself from being overtaken by neighbouring countries, it was the rest of the world that Kenya needed to worry about. Imports from abroad meant that Kenya needed to battle harder to maintain her stranglehold on the East African economy. Furthermore, these celebrations were happening against a backdrop of aid withdrawal threats from global partners, a fact that could seriously hinder the country’s economic growth plan.

Acknowledging both the pros and cons of his administration, the republic’s second President said: “It is just fair to admit that we have now and again made mistakes as we attempted to see our dreams come true. Like a child learning to ride a bicycle, we fell sometimes, as we rode on. The big question that should be uppermost in our minds is whether today we are capable and ready to face development challenges in a globalising world,” read Moi in his 2002 Madaraka speech.

“With or without globalisation, Kenyans must foremost know that it is our responsibility to produce the food we eat... the clothes we wear... surely, must we wait for outsiders to do all these things for us? Do we sincerely wish to trade with foreign countries if we are not providing sufficient goods to exchange with their goods?” Moi asked.

The historic elections of 2002 were just six months away. Political tensions were high and the nation knew that either way, the polls would be defining. Therefore, the then Head of State sought to calm political waters as opponents squared off rally after political rally. “I would not myself advise you to begin thinking about the forthcoming elections this early. Like all national events, elections will come and go, but we must continue to make our lives livable,” he said.

Moi and his prodigy and the current President Uhuru Kenyatta also converged on one thorny issue, Somalia. The current administration has on several occasions expressed its desire to have the Dadaab Refugee Camp shut down. In 2002, the political upheaval in Somalia was already worrying the then President. “Kenya has been too kind to the Somali community and we have hosted many of them as refugees. This does not mean that our hospitality should be taken for granted and we will not hesitate to take a string stand against activities which are bound to disrupt our peace and stability,” Moi said.

Moi’s predecessor, Mwai Kibaki, focused on enumerating his administration’s achievements. Coming at the end of his two terms, Kibaki focused on economy, education and infrastructure. Of particular interest was his perceived legacy of setting Kenya on the path to becoming a middle income economy by 2030. This Kibaki said, was as a result of a better education system and improved access to credit. “Majority of our people can now access affordable credit not only through the mainstream banking sector but also through specialised institutions such as the Youth and Women Enterprise Funds,” Kibaki said during his last Madaraka speech in 2012.

The Kibaki administration presided over ambitious infrastructure expansion programmes. And on this day; June 1, 2012, he ensured the magnitude of the undertaking sunk into the hearts and minds of Kenyans.

“Over the last nine years, we have carried out Kenya’s most ambitious infrastructure development and maintenance programme. Currently, we are undertaking major road construction and rehabilitation works valued at more than Sh103 billion across the country,” he said.

Fight terrorists

He also lauded the strides made in the world of Information, Communication and Technology. “In communications, the ICT sector continued to register strong growth with the mobile subscriber base rising to over 25 million. The number of mobile money transfer subscribers is now over 17 million. Kenyans are today transacting close to Sh3 billion daily through their mobile phones,” he said.

For the first time in a presidential address, terrorism made it to the list of concerns.”...terrorist elements and criminal gangs have been a threat to the lives of innocent wananchi and their property. They must be stopped... Do not harbour a criminal or a terrorist who is a danger to your brother, sister and fellow Kenyan,” Kibaki said.

The war on terrorism has become a recurrent feature in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s speeches. “...we must confront a new breed of terrorists who use our freedom and tolerance against us, and use our commitment to the security and prosperity of our friends and neighbours as an excuse for murder,” the President said in his 2014 Madaraka Day speech. He then mentioned the necessary steps, including the hiring of an additional 10,000 police officers and the introduction of CCTV cameras to help in the terror war.

Even with a booming economy, Kibaki too was confronted by a problem that had dogged both his predecessors- food security and he could not run away from it even in his final address. “Fellow Kenyans, food security has also been a priority of the Government. We will therefore continue to rehabilitate and expand irrigation schemes in order to reduce reliance on rain-fed agriculture. In this connection, the Government allocated Sh8.5 billion to rehabilitate and expand irrigation schemes in ASAL areas,” he said.

President Kenyatta also emphasised this pledge during last year’s fete. “...we invested in agricultural transformation and food security. We have built hundreds of dams and water pans around the country and have made fertiliser and other farming inputs and information cheaper and more easily available to our farmers.”

Though each President acknowledged the importance of affordable health-care, cheaper credit to citizens, and agriculture’s dwindling fortunes, none of them succeeded in slaying hindrances to development.