End of year is usually an opportune moment for self-evaluation. For Jubilee government and the country at large this has been the year of both remarkable achievements and daunting challenges.
Top on the roster of these achievements is the ambitious expansion of infrastructure. The construction of the standard gauge railway quickly comes to mind as is the increase in electricity-generation capacity. We can’t wait for the modern railway, which is 60 per cent done, to be complete as it will revolutionise the transport sector by significantly cutting time and costs.
We have already felt the positive impact of the increase in power generation capacity with companies, particularly those in manufacturing, experiencing huge drop in energy costs.
Needless to say, this is the year that the country basked in the global limelight. The unprecedented dust raised by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) conference is yet to settle. The weighty matters discussed at the meeting will continue to exercise the minds of trade experts and analysts for a while to come.
The WTO meeting came hot on the heels of the visit by Pope Francis. Kenya was again in the glare of the world with major global media channels training their cameras on the country.
The limitless excitement generated by US President Barack Obama’s visit is still fresh on the minds of Kenyans. It is worth noting that he came here for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in which local businesses managed to clinch massive deals amounting to a whopping Sh100 billion.
This year will, therefore, go down in the annals of history as a momentous period when Kenya became a favourite destination for important global events besides attracting the movers and shakers in various sectors. This is not by fluke. For a long time the country has been the engine of regional economy. It has always been a top attraction for investors and tourists.
When it swept to power in 2013, Jubilee realised the special place that Kenya holds regionally and globally and begun to leverage this vantage point. Thus, economic diplomacy is now the cornerstone of our foreign policy.
This explains why President Uhuru Kenyatta has been tirelessly globe-trotting to bolster ties with bilateral partners and enhance the visibility of our country in global affairs.
Our economic prospects have been very bright this year too. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund have painted a sanguine growth on the basis of unshakable fundamentals that underpin the economy. It was projected that the economic growth rate would be as high as seven per cent. Jubilee promised double-digit growth, we are not there yet but we are not wildly off the mark.
The dismal performance of the shilling has dampened government’s plans as this pushed up the cost of living and interest rates. It is important to note that these macroeconomic challenges emanated from the dynamics of the global economy. The woes that have been buffeting the shilling are largely attributable to the strengthening of the dollar. Thankfully, things are increasingly taking a turn for the better with the local currency steadily regaining ground against the greenback.
The move by Jubilee to remove bureaucracy in service delivery through the transformative Huduma Centres has gained global recognition. In pushing up Kenya on the ease of doing business index, the World Bank took into account how these centres, among other factors, have revolutionised provision of a host of services.
We have also witnessed other tough challenges in 2015. In addition to the economic hurdles mentioned above, corruption continued to be a thorn in the flesh of our daily activities. It has immensely undermined Jubilee’s plan to transform this country. Happily, the President has unequivocally underscored his single-mindedness to take the war to the doorstep of merchants of corruption.
We will back him and his indefatigable deputy William Ruto to the hilt so that this battle is won sooner rather than later.
Another challenge at the beginning of the year was insecurity. Unfortunately, we lost innocent souls to heinous terror attacks.
Perhaps our lowest moment was when we lost about 150 students at Garissa University College. The lives of promising young people bubbling with boundless energy and beautiful dreams were snuffed out in the most horrendously regrettable manner.
These inhuman attacks also took their toll on our tourism, a key pillar of the economy.
The good news is that security has vastly improved thanks to watertight measures instituted by the Government.
We look forward to next year with hope and optimism. We in Jubilee will fold our sleeves further and tighten our belts more to ensure we deliver on our pledges.
The writer is the Leader of the Majority of the National Assembly and MP for Garissa Township
