Babu Owino: Govt has scored negative one on 10-point agenda
By Aloys Michael, March 11, 2026Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP), Babu Owino, has criticised the government’s much-touted 10-point agenda report, describing it as an empty public relations exercise that has failed to deliver on key promises.
Speaking on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, during the launch of the people’s report in Nairobi, Babu Owino gave the government a negative one out of ten for its progress in addressing critical issues such as youth employment, economic development, and industrialisation.
The 10-point agenda, officially unveiled by President William Ruto’s administration on March 10, 2026, was marketed as a blueprint to transform Kenya’s economy and improve governance.
However, the vocal legislator argues that it falls short of its lofty promises, particularly in terms of creating jobs and addressing the nation’s energy crisis.
“On the 10-point agenda, I gave them a negative one scorecard out of ten. I want to say that the 10-point agenda released yesterday was a mere PR exercise. Everything that was released lacked the necessary detail, and important parts were not adequately addressed,” Babu Owino stated.
The MP emphasised that while the agenda speaks about creating jobs for the youth, women, and men, it fails to provide any concrete plans for actual job creation.
“We were promised one million jobs annually, but what do we get? A lot of empty rhetoric. People are opposing this government simply because there are no jobs,” Owino stated.
Job crisis
Owino highlighted the government’s failure to tackle structural issues that are critical for long-term job creation, particularly industrialisation.
“For us to have serious jobs in this country, we must industrialise. But look at the capacity we have, the energy we produce, the cost is so high, and the volume is insufficient,” Owino said, pointing out that the country’s energy sector is far behind its regional neighbours.
“President Ruto had announced ambitious plans to meet Kenya’s energy needs by 2040, including a goal to produce 2,000 megawatts of electricity from nuclear reactors. However, Owino argued that this approach pales in comparison to regional efforts. Meanwhile, our neighbours in Ethiopia will launch the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam in 2025, which alone will produce 5,150 megawatts of electricity. Kenya itself is importing 400 megawatts from Ethiopia, this shows the gap in vision,” the lawmaker said.
Babu Owino’s criticisms come as President Ruto continues to clarify the ownership and purpose of the 10-point agenda.
He also aimed at individuals who have positioned themselves as overseers of the agenda, asserting that their self-appointments had no legal or moral foundation.
Ruto-Oburu under fire?
“The 10-point agenda was not imposed on us; it was our commitment, a voluntary commitment between our parties in respect to the people of Kenya,” President Ruto stated.
“Some people want to appoint themselves supervisors, as if we commit to them. We commit to the people of Kenya, not to them.”
Despite the president’s assurances, the implementation of the agenda has faced sharp criticism from various quarters. Embakasi North MP, James Gakuya, echoed similar concerns about the government’s failure to deliver on promises.
Gakuya pointed to delays in the compensation of victims of police brutality, the rollout of the Hustler Fund, and the poor economic climate.
“As much as President Ruto wants to convince Kenyans that his government is working, the situation on the ground is different. The 10-point agenda has not been fulfilled,” Gakuya said during an interview on a local TV station hours earlier.
The MP further suggested that political considerations may be hindering the agenda’s execution, alluding to the influence of opposition figures such as the ODM party in shaping the reforms.
“No matter the personnel, the government does not follow through on the fullness of the Constitution. If the government adhered strictly to constitutional requirements, then we would see real change. But it seems that the pressure to accommodate ODM interests has influenced the 10-point agenda,” Gakuya said.
With the opposition maintaining a watchful eye on the government’s actions, President Ruto and his team will need to take urgent steps to bridge the gap between their lofty goals and the lived realities of ordinary Kenyans.