Jubilee on the spot over the unfulfilled promises

The Jubilee government is on the spot over the unfulfilled promises it made prior to the last General Election, a study has shown.

The latest survey by Ipsos reveals that 70 per cent and 60 per cent of Kenyans respectively, expect the cost of living and economic conditions to worsen next year.

This is contrary to sentiments expressed during a similar period last year, when Kenyans were optimistic of 2013. During that period, 67 per cent of Kenyans expected the cost of living to drop while another 62 per cent anticipated the economic conditions to improve.

President Kenyatta had promised to tackle issues ranging from security, healthcare, growth and development, transport and infrastructure, education, the economy, agriculture and food security, devolution and women empowerment once he assumed office.

On security matters, the President had promised to incorporate CCTV technology in the fight against crime. He also promised to provide government-funded life insurance cover for the disciplined forces so as to secure their livelihoods and their families’ health.

The Head of State had also promised to create a new Border Security Force to defend the nation’s borders and provide additional security support to border counties.

The number of police-citizen ratio was to be increased from 1:1150 to a ratio of 1:800 citizens within five years—recruiting an extra 15,000 police officers per annum and enhance efficiency by providing modern security equipment and transport, including at least two police vehicles per ward. The government has so far established the Nyumba Kumi initiative.

According to the survey, nearly half of Kenyans —49 per cent, have expectations that security will be better in 2014 compared to 2013.

On health, the Jubilee government had promised to achieve free primary healthcare for all Kenyans, starting with women, expectant and breast-feeding mothers and persons with disabilities, by increasing health financing from 6 per cent to 15 per cent.

The Jubilee administration also promised that every family would have access to a fully equipped health centre within eight miles of their home, with a national network of local community health workers promoting preventive health based at the centres.

President Kenyatta during Madaraka Day celebrations announced that pregnant women would deliver free of charge in all public hospitals.

Regarding jobs creation, the government had promised to open more employment avenues and tremendously reduce the unemployment gap.

This was to be achieved through actively growing Kenya’s manufacturing sector through tax incentives and grants for overseas companies to establish industries in the country that would supply our own and the wider East African economy.

The Jubilee government also promised to create reliable energy by extending the national grid network and promoting renewable energy. This would have enabled the private sector to plan and invest for growth.

According to the research, expectations for employment opportunities in 2014 are moderate as 40 per cent expect an improvement, 37 per cent expect things to worsen and 15 per cent to remain the same.

In the previous survey, 61 per cent of Kenyans expected the employment situation to improve while a smaller proportion—12 per cent expected the situation to worsen in 2013.

On transport and infrastructure, the government promised to increase the paved road network from the current 11,000km (7 per cent) to 24,000km (15 per cent) in five years using modern development instruments such as concessions, public private partnerships (PPP), Build Operate Transfer (BOT) and Toll and Maintenance arrangements. So far, the government has launched the construction of the standard gauge railway.

As far as education is concerned, the government promised to expand the number of post-secondary places, the aim being to give fresh secondary school graduates tertiary qualifications.

It was also to establish a business bursary scheme and encourage private companies—through tax incentives to contribute to the scheme.

On the economy, the Jubilee administration was optimistic that it would drive the country into a double digit economic growth.

In an end of year survey carried out by Ipsos Synovate in 2011 on the expectations of economic conditions, 62 per cent stated that 2012 would be worse; this dropped to 19 per cent in terms of expectations in 2013. In the current survey, 60 per cent of Kenyans expect the economy to be worse in 2014.

This is a representation of more than half of all Kenyans.