Wednesday, 2nd May 2018

May 2, 2018 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES CONVOCATION CONVENING OF SPECIAL SITTING OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE ANNUAL STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS BY H.E. THE PRESIDENT

Your Excellency, Hon.

Your Excellency, Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, the Hon. Speaker of the Senate, Sen. Kenneth Lusaka, Hon. Members of Parliament, Article 132 (1) of the Constitution of Kenya requires the President to address the nation once every year.

In this regard, pursuant to provisions of Article 132 (1) (b) and (c) (i) (ii) and (iii) of the Constitution and the provisions of Standing Order No.22 of the National Assembly Standing Orders, by Gazette Notice No.3550, which was published in the Kenya Gazette on 20th April 2018, I gave notice of this Joint Sitting of all Members of the National Assembly. Accordingly Hon. Members, this joint Sitting is properly convened.

Your Excellency, it is also a custom of Parliament to recognise invited guests seated in the Speaker’s Row. I, therefore, wish to recognise the following guests in this order: The Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, Hon. William Ruto.

The Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya, Hon. Justice David Maraga, the Governor of the Nairobi City County, Hon. Mike Mbuvi Sonko, the Governor of the Kajiado County Government, Hon. Joseph ole Lenku, Former Speakers of the House of Parliament: Hon. Francis Xavier ole Kaparo and Hon. Kenneth Otiato Marende, who are all seated in the Speaker’s Row.

Your Excellency, of special mention today and also seated in the Speaker’s Row is a guest of our Parliament, His Excellency, Hon. Said Buhaja, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.

Hon. Speakers and Hon. Members of Parliament, I begin by saying that today is a profound honour for me to deliver the first State of the Nation Address of my second term in office. However, I wish with your joint permission that before I proceed any further, let me, at this early juncture, pay tribute to the late Hon. Kenneth Matiba whose patriotism inspired greatly the Constitution under whose authority we meet today.

charged with the task of implementing our new Constitution, making enabling laws to create institutions which the new constitutional order called for.

There is no doubt, walking this part of the journey has not been easy but, what is encouraging is that we have made significant progress in implementing the new Constitution. The laws were passed, the counties established and, as such, the new constitutional order is in place. I take this opportunity to thank your predecessors for discharging their duty so well.

Now Hon. Speakers, let me congratulate your Members, both the newly elected and the returning ones for winning the trust of the Kenyan people.

Moreover, Kshs2 billion was distributed to 11 counties from the Equalisation Fund to improve services. In addition, and in the spirit of upholding devolution, my administration further decentralised service delivery by initiating the “Huduma Mashinani Programme”. This programme brought vital services from registration services such as identity cards to the NSSF and NHIF Services, amongst others, closer to the people. Kenyans believe in devolution, and my administration has matched that belief with strong and tangible support for it.

Hon. Speakers and Hon. Members, I now turn to the urgent matter of how we live our constitutional values as a people, before I report on their expression in governance. Kenya is a country of God-fearing and generous people. In our moments of need, we are kept going by the compassion and empathy of our countrymen and countrywomen. Indeed, it goes without saying that most of us are honest to a fault, and intolerant of the fraudulent. In our private lives, we live together, whatever corner of the country we call home, whatever language we speak and whatever faith we subscribe to.

In other words, the Kenyan people are ahead of us, their leaders. This must change. Leaders at every level of Government must demonstrate a desire and commitment to serve and, in particular, we must all maintain the highest level of integrity. Those days when one could enjoy public goods without fear that action will be taken against you are gone. Indeed, to demonstrate this point, last year, ill-gotten public assets valued at approximately Kshs500 million were recovered and civil proceedings were instituted for the preservation and recovery of other assets valued at more than Kshs6 billion.

To deepen good governance, we have continued to digitise key services to seal loopholes used for fraud.

Indeed, I do expect that the new officials whom we have worked together to put in office, both in prosecution and in investigations, will bring cases against all, including the powerful and privileged, to show Kenyans that none of us are above the law.

Through the Chief Justice who is with us today, I also urge the Judiciary to do their part to ensure that orders are not frivolously used by individuals to avoid justice. I also urge you, Hon. Members, to give us the legal tools we need to win the war against the lords of graft.

Having made these efforts, I want to repeat what every Kenyan in their heart of hearts knows – that we must come together to fight this vice if we are to conquer it. The Government and the private sector also, must report fraud and protect whistle blowers without the slightest hesitation. Kenyans, on their part too, must report any crimes they may come across.

Families must feel ashamed by one of their members becoming involved in corruption and they must insist on the upholding of their name as a family. Teachers as well as parents must explicitly teach our children the value of honesty and the concept of honour. It is only by coming together in this way as a people, that the values in our

Constitution will take life in the governance our country. That is how we will manage to position Kenya to join the league of prosperous nations.

Hon. Members, these constitutional advances must, of course, be paid for, so it is natural to turn our attention to the economy. Where goals are concerned, I believe all of us, irrespective of our political persuasion, are in broad agreement. Kenyans want to see lower costs of living. They want jobs for their sons and daughters, affordable food on their tables and to see broad and inclusive prosperity. These goals are reasonable and some of them are constitutional requirements in their own right.

None of us in this august House will have forgotten that last year was an election year or that our region was severely affected by drought. It is encouraging to note that despite those challenges, our economy remained resilient. Our real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.9 per cent in 2017 which was much higher than the 3.6 per cent for world real GDP and 2.6 per cent for Sub-Saharan Africa. Even more encouraging was the performance of our tourism sector. Tourism earnings grew by 20 per cent, which was proof that even when our politics were at their hottest, Kenya kept its visitors’ confidence.

Naivasha-Malaba line. In short, I can report that last year, we completed the most ambitious infrastructure development in Kenya’s history since the old railway was built.

Hon. Members, it was, of course, not the only ambitious work in infrastructure that we undertook last year. Hon. Members will also remember that we opened Terminal 2A at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) some time ago. We would almost certainly have earned less revenue from tourism this year had we not made that investment. You might also recall the expansion of the Last Mile Connectivity, which has brought electricity to 72 per cent of households up from 27 per cent in 2013. I am particularly proud of the success for I know its transformative power and I have seen for myself that on the day a family first switches on a bulb in their homes, their entire lives change.

When I assumed office as President, we promised to tarmac 10,000 kilometres of road across the country. We are on target having completed 3,000 kilometres to date and with a further 5,000 kilometres under construction. Among the many roads we have completed, I just want to mention one, namely, the Isiolo-Moyale Road, which is part of the Trans-African Highway Corridor running to our border with Ethiopia. This road is transforming the economy of the people of Isiolo and Marsabit for the better.

in 2017. Our National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) coverage widened from a membership of 3.8 million in 2013 to 7.2 million currently.

We expanded NHIF coverage for expectant mothers and raised deliveries by skilled attendants from 44 per cent in 2013 to 66 per cent in 2017. Access to antiretroviral (ARV) drugs by expectant mothers has significantly increased. Currently, 94 per cent of HIV positive expectant mothers attending ante-natal clinics across the country access ARVs. Mother to child HIV transmission has consequently fallen.

As a result of other various health intervention programmes, including the mosquito net programme, incidences of malaria have dropped from 11 per cent to eight per cent. Infant mortality has fallen from 52 per 1,000 to 39 per 1,000 live births. Under five years mortality came down from 74 per 1,000 to 52 per 1,000. Maternal mortality dropped from 488 per 100,000 to 362 per 100,000. Despite the improvements we have recorded, there is no doubt that we still have a long way to go. We need to, in particular, take steps to improve on immunisation through much closer collaboration between the national Government and county governments.

With regards to immunisation, since devolution, it has dropped from 90 per cent to 70 per cent. However, after the Devolution Conference of last week, I am happy to inform you that county governments are keen and willing to work with the national Government towards putting together a programme to up our immunisation to where we were, if not better. During the period, we have also addressed the medical needs of older persons and persons with severe disability by extending the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) coverage to 42,000 of them.

While we are working to deliver food security, we are taking steps to help Kenyans impacted by the long drought that had hit the country. The Hunger Safety Net Programme is cushioning Kenyans against hunger. Through it, cash was transferred to vulnerable households in most parts of our arid and semi-arid areas, giving them the choice of where and how to spend their stipend. This method not only aids farmers and markets, but also restores the dignity of Kenyans who once upon a time were asked to stand in a line in the hot sun for a few “goro goros” of pre-determined foods.

Hon. Members, with respect to housing, it is worth noting that demand for decent homes far outstrips supply, particularly in the low-cost and affordable segment. A decent roof over one’s head is the most tangible symbol of a decent life and it should be a critical part of a family’s wealth. The new housing programme that we have developed has been designed to incorporate the private sector so as to properly respond to this demand. We expect hundreds of thousands of affordable homes to follow across the country, accompanied by a surge in both jobs and incomes.

Indeed, Hon. Speakers, my dream is one day – hopefully in the not-too-distant future – every Kenyan will have the pride of owning a decent home that will be within the reach of every Kenyan of medium and modest incomes.

Families will have the capacity to retire in the evenings to clean, well-organised and hygienic homes and Kenya will go to sleep knowing that all its citizens have a sound roof over their heads. This dream is going to become a reality only if we all join hands to eliminate the barriers to its realisation through legislation and new policies to incentivise, especially the private sector.

Hon. Members, turning to security, I can say without fear that we are safer and stronger as a nation than we were when I spoke to this House last. Our alliances are strong and growing stronger. Kenya has become indispensable to the international community’s pursuit of stability and security, environmental protection and of a global community able to respond to large-scale crises when they come.

My administration continues to treat its responsibility to protect Kenyans and their property from crime, terrorism and other forms of insecurity as its core obligation. In the year under review, the country beat back challenges to security. Indeed, the general election was more secure than most in the past. Regrettably, we had to respond firmly to deliberate disruptions of the process, to the destruction of property and to isolated attempts to cause chaos. In every case, the disciplined services of our Republic did their duty. I commend all of them for their dedication.

For all that, I repeat here what I have said elsewhere, that ultimately, security will be found and sustained largely by transforming our politics, and in revitalising the spirit of patriotism and responsible citizenship, for even though our democracy has become more competitive, and Kenyans have grown freer in the multiparty era, that liberty has come with a price. All of us have endured an almost permanent state of political campaigning which has divided Kenyans sometimes very tragically as in 2008.

That disunity, fellow Kenyans, is a direct threat, not just to our freedom and not just to our prosperity, but also to our nation. Beyond terrorism, we remain vulnerable to other security threats. Many of them - from terrorism to trafficking -range across our borders. So, we cannot be self-absolved. We must be our neighbour’s keeper no less than our brother’s. The same principles that guide us at home must also govern our relations with our neighbours.

We defend democracy abroad as we do at home; we want for others the peace that we enjoy here: We are grateful for the solidarity extended us by our brothers and sisters on the continent. So we offer it to others in return. I believe last year’s events showed the soundness of these principles.

Our region is not at peace. Somalia remains troubled, unfortunately, largely by foreign agents who weaken its government, who divide her people, and who threaten to reverse the gains we have all so painfully won under the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Through it all, we remember that our brothers and sisters in Somalia want to prosper and we equally prosper if they are safe.

If Somalia remains unsettled, let us admit that South Sudan remains in crisis. Thousands have died while hundreds of thousands more have been displaced. In the year since I last spoke to the House, we and neighbouring countries have hosted hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese refugees and we have joined friends and partners to help those still suffering inside that country. Equally, we have lent our support to the multilateral peace process and we continue to urge the leaders of South Sudan to put the interests of their people and motherland above their own. As we have in the past year, Kenya stands with the people of South Sudan in their search for lasting peace.

Elsewhere in our region, there is better news. In the East African Community, we are growing closer by the day despite challenges. Last year, I had the opportunity to open our borders to our brothers and sisters from the region who now have the freedom to live and work in Kenya more easily than they ever have and they can now partner with us in the task of building a free, united and prosperous community. That openness to our brothers and sisters is proof of our commitment to the unity, not just of the region, but also of the entire Continent.

For years, all sorts of barriers, legal and custom wise, have delayed Africa’s progress and prosperity. Indeed, in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement that we signed in Kigali a few weeks ago, we now have, at last, a real chance of opening up the continent’s trade, once and for all. If we succeed, then trade, goods and services will flow across Africa, not outside it and this in turn will bring jobs, skills, and unity. That we are so close to a final agreement now shows the vision of our generation of African leaders, among whom we must count you, Hon. Members of this House, for ratifying the Agreement without delay. I can only hope that every African nation will show the same foresight that you, our Hon. Members, have displayed and I say to you; asanteni sana.

Thank you very much.

annually, on the character of our people and on our adherence to the precepts of the Constitution.

And the precept of precepts, the animating value of our Constitution is unity. We all take pride in our diversity, as we say in the very preamble of our Constitution, and we are determined to live as one sovereign people, undivided. These are words of great beauty; whether we have let them guide us throughout the last year is the big question.

Hon. Members, let us allow ourselves to cast our minds back to last year’s political competition. Kenyans cast their votes twice in peace. In the end, I believe, the result reflected the will of the people and respect for the law of the land and our institutions held firm.

To our Judiciary, I can only ask that their independence be joined to even greater effort on their part to ensure that their arm of government attains the highest standards of conduct and integrity, and that they will never lose sight of the interdependence of all arms and levels of government.

(Hon. Babu Owino walked to the podium and shook hands with the President)

Fellow Kenyans, we cannot afford another 50 years of our farmers struggling to make a living; of families without proper sanitation; or of families bankrupted by healthcare costs. In this generation, we need to change so that our children can grow to adulthood in a totally different Kenya.

Order! Hon. Members, Let all of us be upstanding. Your Excellency the President, the Rt. Hon. Speaker of the National Assembly and Hon. Members, we have come to the conclusion of business today. It is now time to adjourn. The Senate stands adjourned until Tuesday, 8th May 2018 at 2.30 p.m.

Hon. Members, we have come to the close of business for today. The National Assembly stands adjourned until 3rd May, 2018 at 9.30 a.m.