President Dr William Samoei Ruto today led Kenyans in observing the 62nd Madaraka Day fete at the newly commissioned Raila Odinga Stadium in Homabay County.
As he delivered his second Madaraka Day speech the president focused on achievements of his administration including the reality of the Affordable Housing Scheme.
“Those who did not understand the bottom-up economic approach now you can see how Mama Mboga and Bodaboda are being housed in dignified and safe houses at the cost of a monthly rent towards gradual ownership.”
The president narrated how he was emotionally touched when he handed the keys to ownership of a house to a mother of three in Nairobi’s Mukuru slums and realized it was possible for Kenyans of all caliber to overcome hopelessness and steer towards a trajectory of hope.
To better the homeownership program the president said he will initiate a law that will enable every Kenyan to access KES 5 million mortgage to own a home.
“I am pleased to announce today that I shall be proposing to Parliament a reform to the law that will allow any contributor to access an affordable home loan of KES 5 million at a single-digit interest rate, applicable to any housing unit in the market.,” said President Ruto.
The Chief Guest during this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations was Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar. In her speech she said that although her country was younger than Kenya, they too share a history of liberation struggle and the need to give their citizens respectable livelihoods.
She encouraged stronger diplomatic ties between the two Countries. She also congratulated Kenya for being the first country in Africa to ratify the treaty with the Slovenian Republic. She said that Slovenia has several partnership projects coming up that will mutually benefit both countries.
Speaking at the same event former Prime Minister Raila Amollo Odinga advocated for full implementation of the tenets of Devolution as enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya. Raila urged Kenyans to accord President Ruto ample time before they could judge if he had lived up to his manifesto or not.
He called for disregard of criticism directed at this government by a section of Gen Z but in the same breath emphatically challenged the government to compensate for lives lost during last year’s anti-Finance Bill protests.
Raila thanked the president for a raft of development projects undertaken by his government in the Nyanza region.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki called on cohesion among leaders from the region so that the national government can find it easy to channel more development projects.
“The only way to build the Kenya we want is to approach our tasks boldly and with determination, now, not later. Madaraka affirms our collective gains, through all agricultural production and other development gains for the people of the region,” said an obviously buoyant President Ruto.
He made reference to 110 people who are now proud homeowners in Homabay County due to the Affordable Housing Scheme project.
Turning attention to one of his pet projects the Social Health Authority (SHA) President Ruto said since its inception over KES 43 billion has been disbursed with 23 million Kenyans benefiting. Additionally he announced nationwide programme to cover patients with SHA at all Level Two and Three hospitals which will no doubt take in the Siaya County Referral Hospital, Bondo sub-County Hospital and others.
Among other things the President spoke on the need to introduce and maintain Technical and Vocational Training Centers to cater for the increasing number of youth who require skills.
Those who graced the occasion included Governors Ochillo Ayacko (Migori), Anyang’ Nyongo (Kisumu), James Orengo (Siaya) and Homabay’s Gladys Wanga, who was the host. Also present were heads of the military units, members of diplomatic corps and local as well as foreign invited guests.
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