Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka has criticized President William Ruto’s performance two years into his presidency, describing it as below average.
Ruto, who was inaugurated on September 13, 2022, at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, with a ceremony attended by over 20 heads of state, marked his second anniversary in office on Friday.
Kalonzo ratings
In his assessment, Kalonzo gave Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza regime a low rating of 2 out of 10, highlighting what he perceives as significant underperformance.
Kalonzo suggested that Ruto’s administration is using divisive tactics to stay relevant and they they know they wouldn’t win an election.
“If there were any elections, they know they would be out. That is why they are trying to come up with diversionary tactics out of desperation to see if they can gain some relevance. Out of two, I give them a 2,” he stated.
Kalonzo also criticized Ruto for attempting to divide the Mount Kenya region for political gain, urging the president to avoid such parochial strategies.
“Don’t be parochial, to think you can divide the mountain into East and West just to gain political advantage,” he added.
Ruto, in his manifesto, outlined his bottom-up economic model aimed at addressing various economic challenges.
He argued that the policy should benefit the largest number of people and the country as a whole. The President highlighted that only 19 million Kenyans are employed, with just 3 million (15%) in formal jobs, while the majority work in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Ruto spoke of an economic model that focuses on reducing the cost of living, eradicating hunger, creating jobs, expanding the tax base, improving the foreign exchange balance, and promoting inclusive growth.
Ruto’s pillars
To achieve these goals, he said his Kenya Kwanza team had identified six core pillars: Agriculture, MSME economy, Housing and Settlement, Healthcare, Digital Superhighway and Creative Economy, and Environment and Climate Change.
Ruto committed to allocating Ksh. 250 billion to the agriculture sector between 2023 and 2027, aiming to support a sector that contributes significantly to Kenya’s GDP.
