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The first 100 days of a new administration are extremely important. This is the time the new government defines its philosophy and structures people's expectations.
The first 100 days become more meaningful if elections are held at a time of economic depression and a new administration gets elected on the promise of turning things around.
The 100-day yardstick did not gain much prominence until the presidency of the 33rd president of the US Franklin D Roosevelt in 1933. Roosevelt was in power at a time when the US and the world at large was going through a serious economic crisis; The Great Depression between 1929 and 1939.
Many Americans were out of jobs, businesses were crumbling and the agriculture sector was on its knees. Roosevelt summoned the US Congress to a special session and embarked on putting in place the legal framework for his plan which was later known as The New Deal.
In those first 100 days, Congress passed 15 major bills and 77 laws to counter effects of the Great Depression. He was purposeful about programmes to relieve the unemployed and other vulnerable members as much as he made several executive decisions towards enhancing agricultural productivity and profitability. He marked those 100 days with a significant speech enumerating his achievements thus far.
He remains the only US president to serve more than two terms. Roosevelt's third term and fourth terms were spent dealing with another crisis; World War 2. which ended four months after his death. Another small detail about his presidency is that he served while on a wheelchair. He was paralysed from the waist down after suffering from polio.
In Kenya, the first 100-day yardstick gained prominence in 2002 following the late President Mwai Kibaki's decisive win. Coincidentally, he too was inaugurated on a wheelchair albeit temporarily. The most significant win that Kibaki took pride was introduction of free primary education. Over 1.6 million new pupils were enrolled.
However, Kibaki insisted that the most significant change in first 100 days was in the hearts and minds of Kenyans who had renewed confidence in their future. In retired President Uhuru Kenyatta's first 100 days, most significant achievement is free maternity programme famously known as Linda Mama.
Both Kibaki and Uhuru's administration were defined by heavy investment in socially democratic programmes.
The greatest question is, when President William Ruto takes stock of his first 100 days, what will be his defining achievement or philosophy? Hustler Fund? Maybe.
The writer is anchor at Radio Maisha
