Raila tells Uhuru to ‘get up and report to work’
Cord Leader Raila Odinga on Wednesday called for action from President Uhuru Kenyatta to save the country from further economic decline.
He said that President Kenyatta should “wake up and report to duty”. He said that the current cash crisis was only the beginning of a long, bruising and miserable journey for the economy.
Speaking on his return from a trip to South Korea and China, the Cord leader said the President should take measures to stabilise the economy. He said the country was on the road to nowhere.
“Mr President, get up and report on duty. Do not underestimate the urgency of the situation Kenya faces. Do not underestimate your imperative to act,” he told a press conference at the Nairobi Serena Hotel.
With him were over 20 Cord MPs and Senators.
LIFESTYLE AUDIT
On Wednesday, the President ordered the Kenya Revenue Authority to put its senior and executive officers on a lifestyle audit.
This comes as tax revenues fall short of the National Treasury’s fiscal demands.
This is an indication that the government was moving to seal loopholes in revenue collection as the cash crunch deepens.
Earlier in the week, National Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich said the government would borrow abroad to ease pressure on local businesses which now face rising interest rates on bank loans.
At Serena Hotel, Mr Odinga accused the government of “over-borrowing, overspending and over-stealing.”
“Since Jubilee came to power, it has insisted that the economy is growing and Kenyans can sit back and relax. We in Opposition have warned that we are on the road to nowhere.
“We have warned that the cost of living is rising and Jubilee is testing our patience. When we raised questions, we were called names and told off in words that cannot be taken back. Political posturing, bickering and insults replaced honest debate. The truth is that our economy is under-performing,” he said.
GOVERNMENT’S ACHIEVEMENTS
On Tuesday, Mr Kenyatta addressed the nation during celebrations to mark Mashujaa Day and highlighted the government’s achievements in health, education and infrastructure development among other issues.
Later in the day, however, opposition MPs and Senators accused him of side-stepping critical issues, particularly on the economy, corruption and the teachers’ pay dispute that hit the education sector last month.
On Wednesday, Mr Odinga echoed the sentiments of the legislators saying the President had only glossed over the issues.
“One would have thought that when we are at the brink we would see the bigger picture, be humbled by the reality and live up to our responsibilities. Jubilee, however, sees this as just another moment for hubris, grandstanding, buck-passing and big talk,” he said.
“Jubilee refuses to agree that mega corruption in the end leaves even the big thieves with nothing to steal and nothing to pay workers like teachers. Sooner rather than later the figures were going to refuse to add up.”
Mr Odinga also challenged Mr Kenyatta to provide a clear road map on the road to growth.
DEMAND STABILITY
“Mr President, show Kenyans that you care. We demand stability of the Kenya shilling. No wind will guide a sailor that has no destined port. Tell Kenyans where you are taking them, how you intend to get there and by when,” he said.
He said that Kenya was now playing in the super league of mega corruption and had overtaken the continent’s graft giants.
“We are ready to support a growth strategy that takes Kenya where it belongs. We know the league this nation should be playing in,” Mr Odinga said.
However, in a statement sent to newsroom the State House press team accused Cord and Mr Odinga of painting “a grim picture and desperate situation for Kenya for obvious reasons”.
The statement said no country can develop without debt. The only requirement was for the debt to be sustainable.