Kindiki defends Ruto, says Kenyans are judging government too quickly
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki adresses residents at Kirigara, Meru County. Photo by Brian Gitonga
By Brian Gitonga
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has defended President William Ruto’s administration against growing criticism, saying Kenyans are demanding results at a pace that was never expected of previous governments. He argued that the Kenya Kwanza administration inherited long-standing challenges and should be given enough time to implement its development agenda.
Speaking at a thanksgiving service at the Methodist Church in Kenya, Abothuguchi Synod in Kirigara, Meru County, Kindiki said it is unfair for Kenyans to compare the current administration with governments that had been in office for decades. He maintained that the pressure being placed on President Ruto’s government is unprecedented despite it having served for a much shorter period.
“Please give us a little time. The only problem I see is that you are judging us too quickly. You are putting us under so much pressure, as if there was no government before President William Ruto took office,” said Kithure Kindiki
He said former presidents had considerably more time to implement their agendas before facing intense criticism. The Deputy President noted that President Daniel arap Moi served for 24 years while former President Mwai Kibaki was in office for 10 years, yet the current administration began facing demands to solve every challenge within its first year.
Kindiki urged Kenyans to allow the government to roll out its programs, insisting that development cannot be achieved overnight. He said the administration remains committed to fulfilling its election promises and asked residents to judge it based on the progress it would make over time rather than immediate results.
In addition, the Deputy President pointed to ongoing infrastructure projects as evidence that the government is delivering on its pledges.
He said several road projects that had stalled have resumed after the government cleared huge pending bills owed to contractors.
“We had challenges with roads, but you can now see projects coming back to life because we have paid contractors about Sh177 billion that they were owed,” said Kithure Kindiki
The second in command said more than 6,000 kilometers of roads are currently under construction nationwide. He noted that in Meru County, the government has committed about 39 billion shillings towards tarmacking roads, adding that another 2.3 billion shillings has been allocated to connect approximately 27,000 households to electricity.
Further, he addressed the delayed construction of the Nithi Bridge, saying the contractor has already established a site but cannot begin work until the compensation process for affected landowners was completed. He explained that the government had initially proposed allowing construction to start before compensation was paid, but consultations with residents have produced mixed responses.
The Deputy President claimed some landowners accepted the proposal while others insisted on receiving compensation before surrendering their land. He said the government is respecting the concerns raised and will only proceed once the compensation exercise is concluded.
The Second in command however stirred controversy after suggesting that the current administration is being unfairly blamed for the long-standing dangers posed by the Nithi Bridge. He argued that the black spot has claimed lives for decades before President Ruto came to power questioning why previous administrations had not faced similar criticism.
“Why are you putting pressure on William Ruto over Nithi Bridge? The bridge was completed in 1985, and accidents started claiming lives the next day. We cried to President Moi for 17 years before he left office, yet no one told him ‘one term’,” Kindiki said.
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