Remarks · 9 July 2024
The National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) established last year resulted from the closing of ranks across the political divide to forge consensus on a number of priority national issues including the reconstitution of the IEBC.
Today’s assent of the IEBC amendment bill therefore marks a significant step in the actualisation of one of the recommendations of NADCO and testifies to our country’s ability to navigate difficult, complex and sometimes divisive issues that could undermine national cohesion, stability and security, if left unattended.
The signing of this bill paves the way for the establishment of the selection panel for appointing IEBC commissioners. The IEBC remains a cornerstone of our democracy, responsible for overseeing regular elections at various levels and the overall ensuring that our electoral cycle is managed transparently and administered in an impartial, neutral, efficient, accurate and accountable manner.
The spirit of NADCO is the spirit of unity, bipartisanship and consensus building, values which have helped our nation overcome its most challenging moments. Even as I assent to this important bill, I look forward to supporting and facilitating any other outputs of national consensus to ensure that Kenya moves forward with as many hands on deck as possible.
Beyond NADCO, we are currently engaged in discussions about our economy.
As we know, the country has faced a series of economic shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, globally high interest rates, and devastating droughts and floods, events which have impacted negatively on our economy, and our capacity to secure resources for development and meet our debt obligations.
In the last two years, we have put in our best efforts to mobilise domestic and external resources to accelerate our economic recovery program, pull the country back from the danger of debt distress, and set us on a path of economic transformation. These efforts have strengthened the Kenyan shilling, reduced fuel prices at the pump, and lowered the cost of living, including the cost of essential household commodities.
This year, my administration presented revenue-raising measures through the Finance Bill 2024, which were aimed at not only consolidating the economic recovery program but also propelling the country to the next phase of investing in key social and economic infrastructure projects to advance our development agenda and reduce on borrowing. However, many voices expressed disapproval of these proposals, leading me to drop the bill and terminate the process.
It therefore means that apart from the people of Kenya asking us to consider alternative means of raising revenues, which I agreed with, there is a general consensus that the country requires to confront and address long-standing priority national issues, including the national debt, public expenditure, and antiCorruption measures so as to release resources for creating opportunities, jobs and wealth.
As a way of charting the future from the current situation we are facing, I welcome leaders and other stakeholders, for us to work together and address the current economic situation through a broad-based political arrangement to rally the country forward. Thank You.