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Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged Kenyans to give the Kenya Kwanza government more time to tackle the economic crisis created by the previous administration.
Gachagua says it is hard to implement some of the things they promised to fulfill in their first 100 days in office because they inherited a dilapidated economy last week, with no money in the National Treasury.
“We have inherited a dilapidated economy. We have found empty coffers. There is barely any money in this country and we are starting from scratch. I have asked the people of Kenya to be patient with us because we have a plan but it cannot be immediate because we have found a bad situation in terms of the economy,” Gachagua told NTV in an interview on Sunday.
“We know that we promised to bring the cost of food down, but we have not broken those promises. We are on it. It may not be as fast as we may have wanted, because we really did not know the real position at the National Treasury. When we were campaigning, we didn’t know that the situation was so bad until we came to the government, we got the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary with his officials and provided us with the balance sheet to see how we look, we found the stores were empty.”
The deputy president further pointed out the country would have experienced an economic shutdown had President Ruto not taken the bold step to withdraw the fuel subsidy, a move that saw gas prices soar.
“The situation is very bad. With the previous administration having gone on the way they were going with fuel subsidies, another six months, we would have had an economic shutdown. That is why the President took a very bold decision that the fuel subsidy using Sh20 billion every month was not sustainable,” he added.
Arguing that it would be deceptive to continue subsidizing everything, Gachagua stated that the Kenya Kwanza administration is keen to find permanent solutions to the high cost of living.
“We are looking for a permanent and sustainable solution, it would be deceptive to continue subsidizing the fuel only for a short while and have an economic shutdown. You subsidize fertilizer to increase maize production to lower the cost of unga. That is pragmatic leadership but just saying that you want to subsidize unga, for how long can you do it? It is not sustainable and you are doing it at the expense of development,” said Gachagua.
“I want to tell the people of Kenya that all is not lost. We have now a new President who knows what he is doing. We have a President who is willing to sit down and get good advice from economists and other professionals. Right now, there is no money at the Treasury, in another two-three months, Kenyans will start seeing things picking up, already we have 1.4 million bags of fertilizer ready for the short rains.”
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Haiya how about we start with the 200 million you stole give it back to the government it was stolen funds .You are hardly one month on the job and the government is broke .How do you put a fox in charge of the henhouse 7.1 million Kenyans made that mistake.The regular mwanainchi is in for it with these two professional thugs at the helm.
How can Ndugu Rigathi Gachagua claim that they inherited a broke government when his friend Ndugu Samoei was a vice president for 10 years in the same "broke government?"
@Imara Daima, that's the problem with politicians.They never want to take blame.Always passing the blame to someone esle,even if they could not have not any better.And if you catch them in a lie they put the famous response," I was misquoted...it is political..."
Rigathi Gachagua, is laying ground for excuses since he has realized the responsibility,and the task ahead of him is gigantic,and he may have set unrealistic expectation.That way, if he gamble succeeds, he will thump his chest,and say ,see we delivered,we are great.But should he fail,"wow, we did not realize how damaged the economy was till we started dissecting ...It was bad".
@ Ndugu Maxiley:
You said, "... the problem with politicians: They never want to take blame. Always passing the blame to someone else, even if they could not have any better. And if you catch them in a lie, they put the famous response ' I was misquoted...It is political..."
When Rigathi was campaigning vigorously and supporting his friend Samoei, didn't his friend tell him that the government that he (Samoei) had served was broke?
Ndugu Samoei milked the government dry and unapologetically for four years during the presidential campaign.
1. He used the state time to study as a full-time student and finished his PhD while getting full benefits as a vice president including state security 24/7.
2. He used state gasoline, time, and security for more than four years to run for the presidency of the republic while emptying the state coffers.
3. During the campaign just before the election, he was accompanied with his friends and traveled to the USA and the UK while all the expenses were paid by the state.
Honestly, I deeply sympathize with the misinformed Kenya voters who elected a man who could not pass Chapter 6 of our Constitution.
And the 200 Million Shillings FROZEN I your Account is Part of the Breaking. Bure na "Wajinga waliwao" kabisa Wenye waliowashangalia GachaRuto hapo KASARANI. "Mafi ya Kuku" as Emilio🤡 would Say.
Promises, a staple for politicians, are easy to make but hard to keep.
Mr VP, The only thing that’s broken is your English. Fix that first, then address the current issues facing Kenyans.
These stupid morons keep whining there is no money. The KRA collects more than Ksh5B a day!Their cries is just a cover to loot. Where did Ruto get the money to go to London and NY less than a week after being sworn in? They lied to Kenyans in order to get votes and now they realize that they cannot keep the promises. A lesson to all idiots who voted for these thieves
The govt is broke coz you stole from it funds it had borrowed for development! You and your arap mashamba ‘taped’ the economy dry and your here crying wolf!!! Can you explain where you got the kshs 200 million from? And this is paltry little change from what you stole used in wash wash, bought almost billions worth of properties in kwandikaru’s, thika, olepolos, westlands (including karen, kitisuru,and riverside), Matasia, south coast etc and hidden more so far?? HOW?! Time for reckon is coming and you’ll deal with the wrath of the populace to repay back once reality checks in and accountability begins. It’ll be the peoples court action!
How about Gachagua returns all the money he has stolen from the coffers; then Waiguru returns the NYS money she stole; and Ruto returns the 2.4 billion Euros he schemed from the Eurobond with his friend Korir!
Then you'll have money to run the gvoernment!
And who is to say you did not already empty the few billions left!
At the rate of your corruption history, it would only take you guys minutes to steal billions, not a week!!
@ Keflex:
Kama Wafula Chebukati angalifanya kazi yake kulingana na Katiba ya Kenya Sura ya 6, Raila na Samoei hawangeruhusiwa kugombea kiti chochote cha uongozi nchini.
Bunge letu jipya limejaa matapeli wengi waliochaguliwa kwenye uchaguzi uliopita kwa sababu ya mtu mmoja tu: WAFULA CHEBUKATI.
We are broke because of your kind of species!!
wezi why are complaining to us!!
These goddam thieves are stupefying Kenyans.
...gwitagwo guthara mara.... I knew, you'd have asked me.... We've been running on empty...