“State of the Nation is undeniably gloomy and desperate” Kenya Human Rights Commission

Kenya human rights commissions slam Kenya Kwanza government for disregarding its constitutional obligations of providing a comprehensive report on the measures taken and progress achieved in realizing national values and principles of governance.

According to Kenya’s law, the president is mandated to give a candid report on the progress of the country annually, a requirement that the president ignored for two good months and even after that, the address didn’t touch on issues that matter the most to Kenyans.

Among the issues that citizens expected to be addressed include but are not limited to the high cost of living, over-taxation, in inclusive education programs, heavy borrowing and misappropriation of funds through the creation of more political offices including that of the spouses to the deputy president and prime cabinet secretaries.

The commission also rebukes the government for the lack of integrity, transparency and accountability on matters of public finance management stating that the president’s statement on cutting down on wasteful spending didn’t match the massive gap between what he said and what his regime does with Kenyan money.

The report shows that the Office of the Controller of Budget’s report for the second quarter of the 2022-2023 financial year revealed a serious breach of the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act 2012. In just three months, from November 2022 to January 2023, ministries, departments, and agencies threw away over Sh3 billion on local trips, Sh2.8 billion on statehouse functions, and another Sh0.88 billion on the Deputy President’s office’s coordination and supervision.

Kenya Kwanza Government Scandals

As the country suffocates under the crippled economy, still Ruto’s administration, his one year in office has registered more scandals, the more severe ones being the Sh3.7 billion KEMSA mosquito net scandal to the release of contaminated sugar by KEBS, the former Trade and Industry CS Moses Kuria attacking the media, and scandals with edible oil and NHIF and the recent one being the Sh17 billion fuel importation scandal at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

The human rights commissions assert that Ruto’s failure to address how he intends to address graft paints a grim picture for the leadership of the country stating that it is high time for Kenyans to stand and be ready to kick out leaders with questionable characters and use the courts and other legal tools to deal with this problem.

Failed speech

According to the commission, the State of Nation address failed to tackle issues that affect Kenyans and the current state of the nation is undeniably gloomy and desperate attributing that to a weak foundation for governing that doesn’t hold up against the political, social, and economic hits that are sure to come.

Resolution 

The commission now urges Kenyans to join hands as the commission seeks to use all legal tools including courts to kick out rogue leaders as well as demanding Ruto’s regime to stick to the constitution arguing that it’s the backbone of good governance and the roadmap for Kenya’s success.

By Samuel Mbogoh

Kenya

*Sources : Kenya human rights commission