President Uhuru says government on track in delivering to Kenyans

NAIROBI, KENYA: President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday outlined government’s achievements in his last State of the Nation address.

The Head of State said Jubilee government has performed well in different areas. He highlighted completion of Standard Gauge Railway, electricity penetration, fight against insecurity as some areas government has maintained the momentum.

Uhuru said the government has connected 3.7 million new homes to electricity almost doubling achievements made since independence in a record of four years. Over 14,000 primary schools have been connected to the national grid representing 98 per cent.

On transport, the President said Jubilee has succeeded by building 1950 kilometers of new roads since 2013 while several kilometers are in the pipeline. He said the first phase of the Standard Gauge Railway is on course and shall be launched in June as promised.

“I therefore take this opportunity to invite members of Parliament to join me in June as we ride train to Nairobi from Mombasa on the new Standard Gauge Railway line,” he said.

The President noted that insecurity was still a major threat to the country but his government is doing all it can to contain the situation.

He said since Jubilee took power the police ratio to citizen has improved beyond the United Nation's (UN) recommended 1:400 noting that the ratio in Kenya currently is at 1:380.

Across the borders, the President commended Kenya Defence Forces for fight against Al Shabaab. He said through Kenya’s presence in Somalia, the country (Somalia) has managed to witness peaceful elections.

"The threats still remain but since our invasion, the soldiers have degraded Al Shabaab's capacity and we will remain there because if we fight them there we shall remain peaceful,” he added.

The President however decried the ballooning wage bill that is threatening service delivery to wananchi.

He noted that currently 60 percent of revenue collected by the government ends up in paying salaries of civil servants who only form 2 percent of the country’s population.

"Issues on salary increments need to be looked at by all of us soberly as nearly 60 percent of country’s revenue ends up in paying salaries,” he said.