President William Ruto has defended several government initiatives which have not been popular with the common citizens in the recent past.
Speaking during a church service at the African Divine Church in Nairobi on Sunday, November 3, 2024, Ruto said the programmes are aimed at improving the lives of Kenyans, and not to hurt them.
“God promises that he will lift the weak from the dust and they will sit on one table with kings. That is the mission of this government because I made a pledge and a commitment that we are going to lift those at the bottom,” he stated
“That is why you see we have put plans to make sure we produce enough food so that we do away we the shame of hunger in Kenya. That is why we have a new funding model which makes sure that even the children of the poor can go to the university and the TVETs.”
Ruto says the government is putting enough money into the education system to employ teachers, claiming that the government has been able to employ 56,000 teachers at once.
“In January (2025) we shall employ 20,000 more teachers because we want to make sure that every child in Kenya irrespective of their background gets a chance to education.
Ruto defends SHA
Ruto has also defended the government’s move to shift from the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying the former had a lot of insufficiencies.
“Before (SHA), health insurance was a preserve of the able. Now, through the new system (SHA), health insurance will reach every Kenyan. You do not have to have a job or be able (to pay premiums). The government will pay SHIF premiums for those who are not able to pay. Before, Kenyans would go to the hospital (with cancer, diabetes, hypertension) and after some time be told that the money in his/her card is exhausted. He would be told, ‘go home and wait for death’. How heartless can we be?” Ruto posed.
“In our new system, no Kenyan will be removed from the hospital just because his/her money is exhausted. The new system enables every Kenyan to be treated with or without money because that is what our constitution demands of us.”
On the Affordable Housing agenda, Ruto promised that the government would be allocating over 1,000 units in December 2024.
“I want to promise you; we are going to change this country. That is why in Nairobi, in Mukuru and Kibera we are building affordable housing that Kenyans can own by paying the Ksh3,000 they pay in houses that have no water, electricity or toilets. We want to make a transformation in the republic of Kenya,” he stated.
Ruto has also called on all political leaders across the divide to unite for the sake of Kenyans.