‘You can’t achieve much in 5 years’ – Gachagua says Ruto needs 10 years to transform Kenya

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua now says President William Ruto needs 10 years to fully implement the Kenya Kwanza campaign manifesto.

Speaking during a church service in Manyatta, Embu County, on Sunday, December 10, the country’s second in command said five years are not enough to turn around the country’s ailing economy.

The DP made the remarks while heaping praise on the Embu leadership for their unity under the leadership of Governor Cecily Mbarire.

He said Mbarire and her team also need more time to serve the residents.

“Kazi yake (Mbarire) tunaitambua. Tunataka mmuombee na muunge yeye mkono. Hii kazi inataka miaka kumi ndio ikue kazi ya maana. Hakuna kazi unaweza fanya ya maana na miaka tano,” Gachagua remarked.

Loosely translated: “We recognise and have confidence in her (Mbarire) work. We are asking you to pray and support her. This work needs 10 years to achieve something substantial. There is little you can do in five years.”

While urging Embu residents to re-elect Ruto, Gachagua noted that the first five-year term in office is for planning, while the second term is meant for full implementation of the blueprint.

He said that even former President Mwai Kibaki secured his legacy through projects executed in his second term in office.

“Inataka 10 years ndio ile miaka tano ya kwanza ni kupanga vizuri. Si mnajua Mwai Kibaki aliingia term ya kwanza ilikuwa na matatizo nyingi? Si term ya pili alitumalizia kila kitu? So tunaomba mpatie rahisi William Ruto miaka yake kumi ata huyu Karinda (Mbarire) mpatie yake 10 apange kazi ya Embu ata huyu Mundigi (Senato Alexander Mundigi),” Gachagua added.

Loosely translated, “The first five are for planning while the other five are for execution. Even Mwai Kibaki faced challenges in his first term. Didn’t he complete his work during the second term? Please give William Ruto, Mbarire and even Mundigi their 10 years.”

At the same time, Gachagua dismissed claims that the country is headed in the wrong direction. He insisted that the Kenya Kwanza had managed to stabilise the economy despite the huge public debt inherited from the former administration of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Gachagua on Thursday noted that the Kenya Kwanza government inherited a Ksh9.6 trillion public debt from Uhuru’s administration.

Speaking during the 92nd Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) Graduation Ceremony at Kasarani Stadium, Gachagua noted that the Kenya Kwanza administration had managed to “rescue the economy from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)” with what he termed as sound economic policies.

“When I spoke here on September 13, 2022, I said that we found empty coffers; I repeat we found empty coffers and that is the truth. No amount of denial will change that fact. We found the Kenyan economy in ICU,” Gachagua said.

“The patient called the Kenyan economy was on life-supporting machines. The president as the chief surgeon in the theatre of economic recovery struggled in the first six months and got the patient from ICU to High Dependency Unit (HDU). In the next eight months, the president struggled and got the patient called the Kenyan economy from HDU into the general ward. The patient is showing good signs of recovery – all the organs are working.”

The DP called for patience to allow the president implement various measures to stabilise the economy further.

“In the next several months the patient will be discharged to go home and be attending clinics once a month,” Gachagua remarked amid cheers from the crowd.