Finance and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has mounted a strong defence of President William Ruto’s administration, stating that it inherited a fragile economy but has since stabilised key sectors and set the country on a path to recovery.
Speaking at a women’s economic empowerment event in Asumbi, Homa Bay County, Mbadi explained that the administration took office as Kenya continued to grapple with the economic aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emerging global disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine.
“President Ruto took over power when we had just come out of the COVID period. And the effect of COVID was still with us and are still with us. As we speak, President Ruto took over power when the war in Ukraine had just begun. Today that war is still on,” he stated.
Mbadi argued that these external shocks continue to influence domestic economic performance, contributing to inflationary pressures and supply chain disruptions affecting essential commodities.
He further highlighted global geopolitical instability, citing recent tensions in the Middle East as additional pressure points impacting global trade and prices.
“President Ruto took over power and then you saw the other day, Trump called for war with Iran. The destruction, the disturbance, and the interference with the supply chain of essential commodities have hit the whole world,” he elaborated.
Locally, Mbadi noted that Kenya had also been affected by extreme weather events, including prolonged droughts and flooding, which he said had further strained the economy and livelihoods.
Despite these challenges, the Treasury CS said the government had recorded significant progress in stabilising the economy, including managing Kenya’s debt position. He asserted that Kenya, previously listed among African countries at risk of debt default, had successfully averted that outcome.
“Kenya was ranked among the six countries in Africa which were likely to default in paying their debts. Today, as we speak, only Kenya among the six has survived the debt default,” Mbadi declared.
Mbadi also defended the administration’s economic recovery agenda, pointing to improvements in agriculture, infrastructure, education, and health.
“Despite the tough times, President Ruto has revived the agricultural sector. Maize production has gone up twofold. Tea production has gone up. The sugar industry has been revived,” he said.
He added that the government was also revitalising cotton and edible oil production as part of broader industrialisation efforts. In infrastructure, Mbadi noted that stalled road projects had been restarted and contractors paid, leading to renewed activity nationwide.
“All road construction projects that had stalled across the country have been restarted. We have paid suppliers, we have paid contractors, and road construction is progressing,” he affirmed.
On education, he stated that the government had increased funding and expanded teacher recruitment, describing it as the largest hiring programme in recent years.
“We have employed 116,000 teachers over a five-year period. The education budget has been increased from Ksh526 billion to Ksh785 billion,” he detailed.
Mbadi also cited increased investments in health, affordable housing, and market infrastructure projects being implemented across counties in partnership with devolved governments.
He further highlighted social protection initiatives, including compensation for victims of election-related violence from previous electoral cycles, and a proposed stipend programme for clan elders.
“This is the government that has allocated resources to compensate victims of violence from 2013, 2017 to date,” he said. “We have allocated 3.9 billion to provide stipends to clan elders across 290 constituencies and 47 counties.”
Mbadi dismissed the administration’s critics, accusing them of ignoring ongoing reforms and economic gains.
“The naysayers are just but mere propagandists. This government has done a lot given the circumstances under which President Ruto took over power,” he asserted.
He urged residents to support the government’s agenda and back President Ruto’s re-election bid in the next general election, arguing that continuity would consolidate ongoing economic recovery programmes.
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