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UDA allied politician Maryanne Kitany has criticized the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition manifesto terming it unrealistic.

The Azimio ‘blueprint’ was unveiled on Monday, June 6, 2022, by the coalition’s presidential flag bearer Raila Odinga at a colourful ceremony held at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi.

Kitany pokes holes in Raila’s plan

Speaking during an interview with K24 TV on Tuesday morning, the Aldai parliamentary aspirant said the manifesto doesn’t solve the problems Kenyans are facing at the moment.

The former Chief of Staff in the Office of Deputy President poked holes into Raila’s plan on promoting manufacturing, saying the Azimio camp has not provided a practical strategy on how to address the high cost of electricity in the country.

“Raila’s manifesto is hollow, shallow, and without specific measurable objectives. It also doesn’t address the question of how. For instance, how does he intend to encourage manufacturing without addressing the issue of high electricity cost and taxes,” Kitany said.

On Raila giving Ksh6,000 stipend to needy and vulnerable families, Kitany said the proposal doesn’t offer a solution to unemployment in the country.

She said the youth should be empowered to be productive to the economy as well as be able to provide for their families.

“The Ksh6,000 stipend is impractical, unattainable, and unsustainable. Alternative would be to teach Kenyans how to fish instead of giving them fish. Kenyans are very productive and this program will only serve to encourage a lazy population, ” she said.

“The cash transfer program should be restricted only to the unproductive population (as it is now), i.e the old and vulnerable.”

Azimio’s free education proposal

On the education sector where Raila promised free education all the way up to the university level, Kitany wondered how the proposal would be implemented considering the costs involved.

She suggested that, for now, the focus should be on the 100 per cent transition policy introduced by the outgoing administration.

“Free education all the way to the university is a mirage. It is untenable and unachievable. It is too expensive and will lead to overtaxation. Focus should be on achieving 100% transition. The current free primary education is not in essence free. The idea is nice on paper but cannot be achieved. Remember even developed countries have not achieved free education,” she added.

On “one product one county” as Raila also mentioned, Kitany opined that the policy is counterproductive.

According to the politician, many counties produce several products that also need to get to the market for the benefit of locals.

“I don’t think one product one county will work. My home county Nandi for example is known for tea, coffee, and dairy, and so are adjacent counties. My idea would be regionalization so as to benefit from a wider pool of raw materials and market. We already have county economic blocks like NEREB, and LREB which should be encouraged in order to benefit from a wider market,” Kitany quipped.