Ruto's gesture of inclusion is key to shared prosperity

President William Ruto at the Climate Summit at KICC in Nairobi on September 06, 2023. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

President William Ruto's four-day development tour of Nyanza is far-reaching in actualisation of 'The Plan' and Bottom Up Transformative Agenda across the nation.

His pledges, assertions and focus have been consistent. In his first year in office, President Ruto has forged a new paradigm in development against politics of the day, taking massive multi-sectoral projects to otherwise perceived opposition bedrock.

Every time Kenya has had a change of guard at the presidency, the administrations tend to tokenise development based on the voting patterns. This was pronounced in the 90s and early 2000s under the unitary system of governance. Constitutional adjustments aimed at addressing this began to unfold. In 2003, the 9th Parliament introduced the Constituency Development Fund.

The CDF sought to foster equal access and inclusion, but did it? European writer Arthur Koestler, who alludes in his book 'Darkness at Noon', that the tragedy of the world is that sometimes when you diagnose a disease, and you think you have an antidote, and you apply the antidote, a new wound appears.

There are times we thought constitutional reforms was the antidote to political weaponisation of development, so we even gave ourselves a new Constitution in 2010, but did the solution completely suffice? A new wound appeared, that new wound has been lack of political goodwill.

Now, the president spent four days traversing the four Luo Nyanza counties of Homa Bay, Migori, Siaya and Kisumu. He commissioned projects in fishing, agriculture, trade and industry, energy, healthcare, digital economy, roads and infrastructure.

To revamp marine transport and open up the region, President Ruto commissioned the MV Uhuru II in Kisumu. The historic vessel assembled on Kenyan land can ferry up to 2 million litres of crude oil, suitable for bolstering transport and trade ties with bordering countries, hence creating thousands of jobs.

He commissioned Kabonyo Fisheries Aquaculture Service and Training Centre of Excellence. The centre will pioneer innovation in fisheries and aquaculture, reducing overreliance on traditional fishing.

He pledged Sh900 million to construct eight landing sites, revive local rice companies, five thousand housing units, ICT hubs and construction of Korusoin - Sondu dam.

In Homa Bay, the President initiated the tarmacking of 53km ring road. The island will also get Sh100 million for a fish landing site in Wakula, with a fully equipped processing plant and cold room by June 2024. The president gave actionable assurance on continued collaboration with the county government on deployment of community health providers and food security through supporting agriculture.

The Cabinet approved Gogo Hydropower Redevelopment Project along River Kuja. It also approved a framework to support public millers in paying sugarcane farmers through a 90-day payment plan to revive the sector.

The president's gesture of inclusion is the mother's milk for shared prosperity.

-The writer is a PhD candidate in Leadership and Governance.