President William Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua have presided over the 59th Mashujaa Day celebration today at Uhuru Gardens.
This being Ruto’s first Mashujaa precision as President, a low attendance turnout was observed.
The event was in attendance of various state officials among them the surprise appearance of Azimio One Kenya coalition co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka, Chief Justice Martha Koome, Speakers of the National Assembly and Senate Moses Wetangula and Amason Kingi respectively, Nairobi county governor Johnson Sakaja among other distinguished guests.
The President touched on key national issues among them health, cost of living, housing, insecurity, diplomacy in exploiting, blue economy, promotion of multilateralism and democratisation of global governance.
The President stated that he had initiated reforms and freedom of independence of government institutions including security departments and personnel.
Ruto reiterated that he had issued a directive for immediate disbanding of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Special Service Unit (SSU) and investigations into the ongoing abductions be conducted with those found culpable held to account.
President William Ruto reassured that the government will continue with the fertiliser subsidy for a short term basis and is in the process together with other key stakeholders to set up a fertiliser manufacturing company to serve the region.
“Our government’s first intervention to address the fertiliser challenge and make it available to counties and regions that plant in the short rain season, was to import 1.5 million 50kg bags and distribute them at a lower cost of Sh3,500,” Ruto stated.
He vowed to speed up reforms at the national health insurer, the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) reforms and mainstream community health workers to scale up Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
“Health lies at the centre of our socio-economic development. We will revitalise primary healthcare by laying more emphasis on preventive and promotive strategies. In partnership with counties, we will mainstream community health workers and make them the foundation of our healthcare system,” Ruto announced.
Ruto promised to preside over the groundbreaking of housing projects in the country including over 1000 units in Kibera slum’s Soweto B, to ease congestion in the constituency as he works to actualise the government’s agenda on housing.
The President conferred that his administration is working on innovative investment mechanisms through public-private partnerships to construct at least 100 dams.
He revealed the government’s move to champion forest recovery through Kenya Forestry Services (KFS) corporation, as it aims to ensure the greening of the country is achieved, so as to combat climatic changes currently witnessed.