President William Ruto has termed the 2022 General Election as the most transparent and peaceful in the multiparty democracy era.
Ruto who was speaking during the 60th Madaraka Day Celebrations in Embu said the election was centered on economic issues and not tribal lines.
The President said the debate in the country has changed from tribalism to issue oriented, terming the ongoing debate on the Finance Bill 2023 as a good example of how the country’s politics has evolved.
He said the government and the opposition need to work together to move the country forward, promising to answer all the questions surrounding the Finance Bill and the housing levy soon.
“The debate on the housing levy is not about if it’s a tax or saving, it is about ownership. The people desire more information on this and I promise you these questions will be answered,” Ruto said.
He added that the housing project will solve the problem of unemployment besides getting seven million Kenyans out of slums.
According to the President, there are 1411 slums in the country and that it is the responsibility of every Kenyan to ensure the people living there get decent housing.
“We should not ask ourselves why it is our responsibility to ensure the unemployed are employed and the seven million Kenyans living in slums get decent housing. If the founders of this nation asked themselves how it was their business to fight for freedom, we would still be slaves.”
Ruto also spoke about taxes saying the country needs to increase the tax base so as to get out of the debt hole and be able to self sustain.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua defended the finance bill and urged Members of Parliament to support it.
Gachagua trained his guns on the opposition terming them as detractors out to spread propaganda against the government.
“Mr President, many Kenyans are with you on this ready to allow you steer this country forward and they fully support the measures put for economy recovery,” Gachagua said.
