Government will not implement new projects, says President Ruto
President William Ruto addressing a gathering after commissioning the construction of a Sh50 million market in Watamu on July 26, 2024.
President William Ruto has said that his government will cut down projects following the withdrawal of the Finance Bill that sought to raise more money through taxes.
Speaking in Taita Taveta after attending a church service at St Peter's Anglican Church in Bura, Mwatate sub-County on Sunday, July 29, the President said the rejection of the controversial bill would affect the implementation of projects running into billions of shillings across the country.
The President asked Kenyans to bear with his government as it is unable to implement new projects due to budget cuts.
"I had planned a lot in this budget, but there was a lot of propaganda. I have to go back to the drawing board. We should avoid propaganda and fake news and get the correct information," he said.
On June 28, Dr Ruto signed into law Appropriations Bill 2024 and referred the County Allocation and Revenue Bill back to Parliament for reductions in allocations to the tune of Sh346 billion after Kenyans rejected the Finance Bill 2024.
However, the President continued to make promises to the people of Taita Taveta County on Sunday, saying he would visit the county next month to launch new projects in Mwatate, Taveta and Voi sub-counties.
Although residents were eager to hear about the progress of President Ruto's promised mega projects, he avoided mentioning them.
Some of the projects that are yet to be implemented are the Mzima Two water pipeline, the Taveta-Illasit road and the completion of the Bura-Mghange-Mbale-Mtomwagodi road.
"I had allocated money for the Bura-Mghange-Mbale-Mtomwagodi road, but you know what happened," he said.
Housing projects
Among the projects to be launched are housing projects in Voi, Mwatate and Taveta. He said his government would not allow raw materials, including raw minerals, to be exported abroad.
He also said his government would protect local products by controlling the import of items that can be manufactured in the country.
He said the country was spending over Sh500 billion to import foodstuff from outside. He said the budget had factored in strategies that would cushion farmers from the infiltration of food from other countries.
"We cannot continue to be a supermarket for other countries. The things that can be value-added in the country will be done here. No imports of furniture, steel, cement, cotton and other things that we can produce ourselves," he said.
He said the government will support an investor who has shown interest in opening a Sh10 billion steel plant in Voi.
The President said the factory will employ over 2,000 young people.
"We have been lied to that the iron ore from this region is not good, but an investor is ready to establish the plant here. I will come next month to launch the construction," he said.
He said his government would construct 800 affordable houses in Mwatate and 1,000 affordable houses in Voi and Taveta.
Mr Ruto said the government has set aside Sh500 million for electricity connectivity for 10,000 households across the county and will construct hostels at the Taita Taveta University, Taita Taveta National Polytechnic and Technical Institutes across the county.
The President said his government will work with leaders from the county led by Governor Andrew Mwadime.
He said that on his next visit, he would sit down with the local leaders to discuss development plans for the county.
"We have agreed with your leaders that we will walk together," he said.
He defended Taveta MP John Bwire and his Mwatate counterpart Peter Shake for supporting the Finance Bill, 2024 by voting "yes" at the National Assembly.
He said the leaders put aside their political interests to support the bill, which would have benefited the residents.
“I heard that they were being vilified. That is not right. These are the right leaders because they have a stand,” the President said.
Opposition leaders
He also defended his decision to include opposition leaders in his Cabinet, saying it would unite the country.
"What happened allowed us to create a new country. The new Cabinet will unite us. We are a democratic country, and it has enabled us to put aside partisan politics and put national interests forward," he said.
Governor Mwadime asked the President to equip the Moi Hospital's cancer centre to prevent patients from travelling to other counties for treatment.
"We also have a rice mill in Taveta so we ask you to provide excavators to open more farms for rice farming," he said.
Mr Shake said the county has been in opposition for years and it was time to work with the government.
"We have been in the cold for decades. And if the President has done all these yet we are in opposition, what if we fully get into the government, we will benefit a lot as a region, he said.
Woman Representative Lydia Haika said the county was fully behind the President and residents were optimistic that he would fulfil his pledges.
"We know that you have a lot in store for us. We have been talking to you and you know about the roads, the Mzima Two project and so we have decided to be patient knowing that you are aware of these issues," she said.
She urged the President to consider giving the remaining Cabinet slots to residents of Taita Taveta County, saying many people supported his bid but were still waiting to be rewarded.
