‘We’re not elected to be popular, help me change Kenya’: President Ruto rallies MCAs

President William Ruto has rallied Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) to stand behind his ambitious development plan to take Kenya into the league of first world economies within a generation.

The President urged MCAs to support the proposed National Infrastructure Fund which, he said, would unlock financial resources necessary to build dams, airports, roads, and extend electricity across the country.

"I am asking for your partnership to change Kenya; it is doable; it is possible," he told the annual County Assemblies Forum meeting held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on Thursday.

Present were Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Principal Secretaries, and MPs among others.

President Ruto said true leadership is not a popularity contest, but an intentional undertaking aimed at bringing about critical reforms which propel the country forward.

"We are not elected to be popular; we are elected to do the right things for our nation; to make the right decisions for Kenya," he said.

He added: "Many people are obsessed with form instead of substance; titles and positions instead of progress and service to the people."

The President explained to the meeting that Kenya's economy had recovered as shown by all economic indicators such as low inflation, a stable exchange rate, and increased forex at the Central Bank. As a result, Kenya is ripe for take-off.

"Last week the Central Bank of Kenya reduced the Central Bank Rate, which is the anchor for commercial banks' interest rates, from 9 per cent to 8.75 per cent, signalling the coming down of interest rates in Kenya," he said.

Consequently, the President explained that the country now enjoys some fiscal space to carry out development programmes, which had stalled a few years ago due to a difficult economic environment.

He thanked county assemblies and county governments for working with the National Government to successfully deliver some of his administration's programmes, including subsidised fertiliser.

On health, he urged MCAs to continue encouraging their constituents to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to benefit from free government healthcare.

He urged them to be on the lookout for unscrupulous hospitals and health facilities still charging citizens for outpatient treatment.

On issues the MCAs had raised, President Ruto said his administration supports a recommendation by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to reclassify their job groups from D4 to E2 in recognition of their mandate and workload.

Furthermore, he supported the County Assemblies Pension Scheme Bill and the Ward Development Fund, both of which are in Parliament for consideration.

"As the National Government, we support the inclusion of the Ward Development Fund in the proposed constitutional amendment framework alongside other protected funds, including the National Government Constituency Development Fund, National Government Affirmative Action Fund, and the Senate Oversight Fund, so that ward-level development is legally secured and stable," he said.

Similarly, the President said he supports efforts to formally recognise the County Assemblies Forum in law as the amendment of the Intergovermental Relations Act currently in Parliament.

Present were MCAs from across the country, led by CAF Chairperson Seth Mwatela and Secretary-General Chege Mwaura, among others.