Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has said the government is formulating policies that will see all programs and functions geared towards enhancing growth, sustainability, and equity.
Mudavadi said the rule of thumb in government operations will be based on productivity.
He was speaking when he attended this year’s People Dialogue Festival organized by the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD).
“In all sectors of our economy we will be looking at the prospects of growth, sustainability, and equity with all the debates revolving around how to turn things for a better and working economy for Kenya,” Mudavadi said.
He noted that Kenya is going through tough times with the challenges of a huge public debt, high costs of living, and drought.
He said it is paramount that whatever government is doing is guided by policies that point to the direction of prosperity.
“Even in legislation, leaders will have to come up with laws that underpin equity and steady growth,” he told the meeting at National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi.
Mudavadai noted that the government has reached a stage where it can no longer fund all programs.
“Kenyans must stop living a lie and wake up to reality. What we need to work on is to make sure we rationalize the resources that are at our disposal, ensure their prudent utilization, and direct them to relevant programs and projects,” he explained.
He however defended the government on the issue of taxation pointing out that no government can operate without taxing its citizens.
“We are re-looking at our priorities as a government. We want to direct the resources to the most critical areas, but I want to tell Kenyans the solutions we are working on are not instant coffee, they will take some weeks and months for us to turn things around things.”
The former ANC Party leader also used the forum to applaud the growth in the democratic space in the country saying from the analysis of the August 2022 general election, Kenya has demonstrated that it is possible to conduct a free, fair, and transparent election.
He said it is key to strengthen political parties citing that multi-partyism is critical in building democracies.
He dismissed ongoing talk of folding parties saying it will undermine the freedom of political association and constitutionalism.
“If we want to grow our democracy, we must strengthen political parties. That is why the Centre for Multi-Party Democracy is offering a platform for political parties to have a dialogue on crucial things affecting our country not only politically but also on the economic and social front.”
