Stability key to economic growth, says ODM leader
By Rawlings Otieno, August 16, 2021
The county has to invest in prolonged stability and social cohesion for strong economy and improved prosperity, Opposition chief Raila Odinga has said.
Raila, who has since opened up on his 2022 plans exuding confidence that he will ‘scale Mt Kenya’ to get the numbers he needs for a decisive win, challenged his political nemesis that even as the country talks about economy, political stability and cohesion is necessary.
In his weekly hard-hitting statements on the country’s governance, Raila said the Grand Coalition Government under retired President Mwai Kibaki in 2003, picked the economy at almost zero per cent up and propelled it to seven per cent by 2007.
In 2008, the Grand Coalition Government picked up an economy that had collapsed from about seven per cent back to zero, thanks to post-election violence, he said.
Raila charged that there is no path to jobs, good schools, hospitals, industries and security other than political stability enabled by constant pursuit of reform and development while always putting people and the nation first. “It takes sound politics and Kenya needs it now more than ever,” he said.
The ODM leader also said a country that constantly worries about conflicts and uncertain regime changes cannot have its population to concentrate on working, saving and investing.
He further said Kenya needs to cultivate a culture of political leadership, which is able to create confidence in what the government promises or does.
“Stability stems from the credibility of the leadership. With that credibility, the country’s leadership will be able to explain, implement and mobilise mass support even for policies that are temporarily inconvenient to a section of the population but good for the nation.
According to Raila, the role of political unity and stability has never been given the attention it deserves.
He said the country has tended to act as if it can stumble into economic growth and prosperity however disjointed and unstable the country is and regardless of how it is governed.