DP William Ruto team threatens to name businesses in secret contracts with State agents

Kenya Kwanza advisor, Economist David Ndii. [Esther Jeruto, Standard]

Deputy President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance has promised to lift the veil on leaders doing business with the government, including those who have secret contracts with State agencies.

The alliance said it will also deal with systemic corruption through the setting up of a quasi-judicial inquiry on state capture.

Speaking yesterday at a Nairobi hotel, the Kenya Kwanza manifesto team led by economist Dr David Ndii said the Ruto team is ready to revive the ailing economy.

Dr Ndii said the biggest problem in the country was corruption and unjust enrichment.

“When the late President Mwai Kibaki came into power in 2002, there was a conflict of interest and systemic corruption, and the judicial infrastructure would be overwhelmed and evidence taking would not be possible. That is why we will go for the inquiry,” said Dr Ruto’s legal adviser Korir Sing’oei.

Mr Sing’oei said the DP will seek depolarisation in the fight against corruption, and the financial autonomy of respective institutions.

Dr Ndii said the next government needs to hit the ground running to improve the lives of Kenyans already suffering because of the poor economy.   

“This is against our opponents who are saying it is a declaration of intent. Our plan is methodical. The economic situation we are in will require a government that will hit the road running. We are an economy that does not create jobs because of low productivity, which led to a debt crisis.”

Deputy President William Ruto. [File, Standard]

Dr Ndii said the government had a Sh660 billion debt, less than the wage bill, meaning that the country is paying more interest than what we are paying workers, an indication that for the first time we have borrowed heavily on the commercial market, while Sh500 billion was domestic interest and that was the reason the private sector was suffering.

He said the borrowing from abroad had exposed the country to global shocks, including Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war.

“We need to stabilise the economy in less than a year, that is what the manifesto captures, with three things in focus; to create jobs, increase incomes of people and create demand so that government can be creditworthy again,” Dr Ndii said.

He said the sector that can stimulate the economy was agriculture.

Dr Ndii said building houses had multiplier effects and Nairobi has 2,000 acres of land with old houses, which could be redeveloped.

He said Kenya’s second-biggest petroleum import was edible oil and if the country was to produce it, it would save Sh45 billion which will go to the farmers and have a ripple effect on the economy. 

Kenya Kwanza campaign manager Josphat Nanok said: “Kenya Kwanza had put up a plan to run the country. The plan is what the people have told us to work with once we take over the government.”