Author: Eric Biegon

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has urged Kenyans to support President William Ruto’s bid for a second term, arguing that the Constitution deliberately provides for a 10-year, two-term presidency to afford a Head of State sufficient time to initiate, implement, and complete national development programmes.

Speaking on Sunday during an interdenominational worship and thanksgiving service in Ziwa, Soy Constituency, the Deputy President dismissed calls for the President to serve only one term, characterising such a stance as a misinterpretation of the Constitution.

“The constitution has designed a two-term period for the President of Kenya to be able to start and complete programs, and therefore anybody trying to sell a narrative of anything short of a two-term must know they are undermining the constitution of Kenya,” Kindiki stated.

The Deputy President highlighted that the two-term limit is a relatively recent constitutional safeguard, contrasting it with the previous arrangement that lacked any term limits. This, he noted, created a void that allowed Kenya’s first and second presidents, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi, to remain in office for 15 and 24 years respectively.

He said the current Constitution, which Kenyans must now uphold, acknowledges that no president can fully deliver on development promises within a single five-year term. Hence, the provision for re-election allows a sitting president to account for progress made in the first term before seeking a mandate to complete their agenda.

“Hakuna kitu kama one term kwa katiba. Yule mtu anasema one term hajasoma katiba. Term ya kwanza ni ya kuleta programs, kuleta policies, kuleta marekebisho na kuleta ile miradi ambayo inaambatana na ruwaza ya huyo kiongozi. Term ya pili ni ya kukamilisha,” he explained. (There is no such thing as a one-term presidency in the Constitution. Anyone who claims otherwise has not read it. The first term is for introducing programmes, policies, reforms, and projects aligned with a leader’s vision; the second term is for their completion.)

According to the Deputy President, President Ruto has already initiated numerous programmes across sectors including agriculture, housing, healthcare, infrastructure, and social protection, and should be granted another five years to complete them for the benefit of Kenyans.

The Deputy President also addressed the planned demonstrations scheduled for Thursday, June 25, cautioning organisers and participants against any acts of violence or destruction of property. While affirming that the right to protest is constitutionally guaranteed, he clarified that this right does not extend to lawlessness, and assured that security agencies would be deployed to maintain order.

“On Thursday, there will be no monkey business anywhere in Kenya. If you wish to make noise in the town, make your noise, then go home in the evening. But matters of breaking shops, matters of injuring citizens, forget it,” Kindiki warned.

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has urged Kenyans intending to participate in the June 25 demonstrations to exercise their constitutional rights peacefully. He warned that security agencies would act decisively against any criminal elements.

Speaking at a Sunday service at AIC Lang’ata in Nairobi, Murkomen stated that the government would support lawful protests while ensuring that public order is maintained.

“If you choose to exercise your rights under Article 37 this week, do so peacefully, while respecting the right of children to go to school, the right of people to own and protect their property, and the rights and livelihoods of other citizens,” he said.

The CS emphasised that demonstrations must not disrupt public life or infringe upon the rights of others, calling for restraint and responsibility from participants.

He further assured that peaceful protesters would receive police protection and guidance during the demonstrations.

“If we all come peacefully to protest, no rungus, no machetes, no stones, no lighting fires, no violence, no stealing, no looting, the police will also escort and support those demonstrators, and in the evening, we shake hands and go home,” he stated.

However, Murkomen issued a stern warning against any attempts to turn protests violent or criminal.

“If it is a demonstration where we are mobilising gangs, people with violent intentions, unfortunately, I must say that the security architecture, the National Police Service, will have to do everything humanly possible to deal with all criminals who are going to cause chaos,” he said.

He reiterated that the government’s responsibility is to safeguard the country and prevent a slide into anarchy.

“We will take a very firm position to ensure that those who are going to cause chaos in our country are brought before the courts of law and held accountable because we cannot allow our country to degenerate into anarchy and chaos,” he asserted.

Murkomen also cautioned political leaders against what he termed the exploitation of young people during protests.

“Some leaders calling for protests and school closures have children studying abroad or are already grandparents, yet it is other people’s children who end up in the streets, being used for political gain at the expense of their safety and lives,” he remarked.

He stressed that no life or property should be lost during the demonstrations, appealing for calm and restraint across the political divide.

The CS further linked national stability to moral and institutional responsibility, urging leaders and citizens to act in the interest of future generations and to uphold peace during the planned protests.

Finance and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has mounted a strong defence of President William Ruto’s administration, stating that it inherited a fragile economy but has since stabilised key sectors and set the country on a path to recovery.

Speaking at a women’s economic empowerment event in Asumbi, Homa Bay County, Mbadi explained that the administration took office as Kenya continued to grapple with the economic aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emerging global disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine.

“President Ruto took over power when we had just come out of the COVID period. And the effect of COVID was still with us and are still with us. As we speak, President Ruto took over power when the war in Ukraine had just begun. Today that war is still on,” he stated.

Mbadi argued that these external shocks continue to influence domestic economic performance, contributing to inflationary pressures and supply chain disruptions affecting essential commodities.

He further highlighted global geopolitical instability, citing recent tensions in the Middle East as additional pressure points impacting global trade and prices.

“President Ruto took over power and then you saw the other day, Trump called for war with Iran. The destruction, the disturbance, and the interference with the supply chain of essential commodities have hit the whole world,” he elaborated.

Locally, Mbadi noted that Kenya had also been affected by extreme weather events, including prolonged droughts and flooding, which he said had further strained the economy and livelihoods.

Despite these challenges, the Treasury CS said the government had recorded significant progress in stabilising the economy, including managing Kenya’s debt position. He asserted that Kenya, previously listed among African countries at risk of debt default, had successfully averted that outcome.

“Kenya was ranked among the six countries in Africa which were likely to default in paying their debts. Today, as we speak, only Kenya among the six has survived the debt default,” Mbadi declared.

Mbadi also defended the administration’s economic recovery agenda, pointing to improvements in agriculture, infrastructure, education, and health.

“Despite the tough times, President Ruto has revived the agricultural sector. Maize production has gone up twofold. Tea production has gone up. The sugar industry has been revived,” he said.

He added that the government was also revitalising cotton and edible oil production as part of broader industrialisation efforts. In infrastructure, Mbadi noted that stalled road projects had been restarted and contractors paid, leading to renewed activity nationwide.

“All road construction projects that had stalled across the country have been restarted. We have paid suppliers, we have paid contractors, and road construction is progressing,” he affirmed.

On education, he stated that the government had increased funding and expanded teacher recruitment, describing it as the largest hiring programme in recent years.

“We have employed 116,000 teachers over a five-year period. The education budget has been increased from Ksh526 billion to Ksh785 billion,” he detailed.

Mbadi also cited increased investments in health, affordable housing, and market infrastructure projects being implemented across counties in partnership with devolved governments.

He further highlighted social protection initiatives, including compensation for victims of election-related violence from previous electoral cycles, and a proposed stipend programme for clan elders.

“This is the government that has allocated resources to compensate victims of violence from 2013, 2017 to date,” he said. “We have allocated 3.9 billion to provide stipends to clan elders across 290 constituencies and 47 counties.”

Mbadi dismissed the administration’s critics, accusing them of ignoring ongoing reforms and economic gains.

“The naysayers are just but mere propagandists. This government has done a lot given the circumstances under which President Ruto took over power,” he asserted.

He urged residents to support the government’s agenda and back President Ruto’s re-election bid in the next general election, arguing that continuity would consolidate ongoing economic recovery programmes.