Kindiki challenges opposition to account for their record

Speaking to more than 30,000 grassroots leaders in Manyatta Constituency, Embu County, Kindiki said the Kenya Kwanza administration had made significant progress across all 47 counties since taking office in 2022 and was ready to defend its record before the public.

"The level of development we have reached is not where we found things in 2022, when we came into office. There is work that has been done, and you can see it yourselves," he said.

The Deputy President said he was prepared to face residents countrywide and explain the government's record in agriculture, education, roads, health and other programmes affecting ordinary citizens.

"I am willing to face the people of Embu County and all Kenyans countrywide face to face and explain to them what this government has done to transform the country and empower all citizens economically," Kindiki said.

He challenged government critics to present their own scorecards from their time in public office.

"Let them tell us what they did when they held big positions in the past. I can tell you, they have nothing to show," he said.

On agriculture, Kindiki pointed to improved coffee and milk prices as evidence of tangible gains, saying coffee farmers were now earning between Sh120 and Sh150 per kilogramme, up from previous levels, while milk prices had risen from Sh33 to Sh50 per litre.

"Today, farmers are getting between Sh120 and Sh150 per kilogramme of coffee as we move forward because we have improved the price of coffee. Milk was Sh33; now it is Sh50 for every litre. That is an increase in income and that is money in the pocket of the dairy farmer," he said.

He also cited falling fertiliser prices, saying costs had dropped from Sh7,000 in 2022 to Sh3,500, then Sh2,500, with a further Sh500 reduction bringing the price to Sh2,000.

"We are reducing the price of fertiliser so that the Kenyan farmer can afford it, so that we can increase the productivity of our farms and achieve food security in our country," he said. "Agriculture is not something to play with. To transform Kenya's economy, we must improve agriculture so that we increase income in the pockets of farmers and the people of Kenya."

On infrastructure, Kindiki said more than 6,000 kilometres of roads had been returned to contractors nationally, with Embu County allocated a 415-kilometre roads programme at a projected cost of Sh20 billion.

He also cited the construction of more than 600 modern markets nationally, 12 of them in Embu County, up from an initial allocation of seven after local leaders appealed to President William Ruto for more facilities.

"We had initially allocated seven markets to Embu County, but after leaders from Embu came to me and explained that the people of Embu are business people, I took them to the President. We were given more markets, and today we have 12 markets under development across Embu County," he said.

Kindiki said the markets were part of the government's effort to improve the working environment for small traders and restore their dignity.

"I have the courage to say that this is the government that has decided to restore dignity to the mama mboga, the small trader and the ordinary person who sells their goods in the sun and rain," he said.

On health, he cited the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the National Equipment Support Programme, saying Level Five, Four and Three hospitals were being fitted with modern diagnostic and treatment equipment.

"Disease does not discriminate. Anyone can become sick. A rich person can become sick, and so can a poor person. We want to ensure that no Kenyan is disadvantaged simply because they have become ill," he said.