1. I am tremendously privileged to join Kenyans and our visitors today

as we commemorate the 59th anniversary of Mashujaa Day. It is with

great humility that I preside over this year’s celebrations for the first

time as President and I am humbled and grateful for the honour.

2. We solemnly observe this important day every year in order for us

to reflect upon where we have come from as a nation. We mark this

date to consider the troubled road we trod through, the sorrowful

wilderness of cruel colonial injustice and the price that was

paid in blood, toil, anguish and death for us to be a free people.

3. We take this opportunity to also celebrate the histories of the heroes

and heroines who sacrificed valiantly in our freedom struggle, their

character and most importantly, the values and principles which

inspired, sustained and vindicated them, so that we may emulate

them by leading lives worthy of their sacrifices. We ask ourselves

today: What must we do to transmit this noble history and ensure that

future generations appreciate us, not only as worthy heirs of our

illustrious ancestors, but also as skillful stewards of their heritage?

4. We do this in pursuit of a solemn covenant proclaimed in the

preamble of our Constitution that we, the people of Kenya,

shall honour those who heroically struggled to bring freedom and

justice to our land by adopting, enacting and giving the Constitution

to ourselves and to our future generations.

5. Our Constitution articulates a vision of Kenya our heroes and

heroines would have approved: A Kenya worth fighting for and worth

paying the ultimate price for. It is their legacy to us and it sets the

stage for us to continue their patriotic work in that noble spirit that

roused the first freedom fighters to resist colonial rule and their

successors to reject post-colonial repression.

6. Our heroes and heroines were neither elected nor appointed. They

were not sponsored and they were not funded. They had no offices

or budgets. They were ordinary people invested in the struggle to

make good their unwavering belief that all people are equal and

deserve to live in freedom. People of all walks of life: subsistence

farmers and traders, clerks and former soldiers, teachers and their

learners, preachers and their congregants, drivers, cooks and farm

workers ran away to the forest, armed with nothing but the conviction

that a more just way of life is possible and that it is worth fighting for.

‘Mobilising transformational patriotism and value-driven heroism for the well-being of the citizens of Kenya’.

7. The legacy of independence is the historic achievement of value-

driven bottom-up heroism. The people were distinguished by their

unity and commitment to selfless endeavour, determination,

patriotism and an unyielding sense of justice. Every time we have

come together, we have accomplished major feats. That is why, as a

nation, we are exhorted by the National Anthem: “Let one and all

arise, with hearts both strong and true”.

8. Our Constitution, the people’s sovereign charter, is an instrument of

collective memory. It proscribes tyranny, marginalization and

oppression, provides institutional means to dismantle injustice and

eradicate inequality and gives us an opportunity to expand freedom

and actualise rights. It also defines human well-being to be the reason

for individual and collective action as well as the object of the totality

of national enterprise.

9. We are united in common endeavor with those who came before us

and did so much for our country. We may define ourselves as a nation

proudly standing on the foundation of the Constitution, united in

pursuit of the wellbeing of every citizen.

10. The principal reason for promulgating our Constitution, then, was to

inscribe the values which animated our history of accomplishment

and to project them in a manner that resonates across generations.

The national values and principles of governance set out in Article 10

form the soul of its dispensation. They define the parameters of

patriotism, exemplary service, selfless sacrifice and profile us in

terms of who we are and who we ought to be, individually and as a

nation.

11. We can and we must employ these values as beacons for

identifying people whose contributions honour the memory of our

heroes and heroines and bring glory to our nation.

12. It is time to direct our focus on the work that each one of us does to

understand how we contribute to our individual well-being, as well

as that of our communities and nation. In this understanding, we

must take into account that individuals make up the greater national

family and that Kenya’s stature and splendor is always greater than

the sum total of our individual efforts or community endeavor.

Similarly, our national capacity determines the extent of

opportunities all Kenyans have to pursue and attain their aspirations.

What I am saying is that regardless of the type and scale of our

pursuits, every contribution matters. And regardless of our walk oflife, our work matters, our intentions matter and our thoughts matter,because we all matter.

13. I congratulate every citizen for their part in ensuring that the last

election was peaceful. I know of attempts at division, disunity,

confusion and even some who did everything in their power to entice

and pressure our people to engage in criminal activities. But I also

know that, despite a competitive campaign period characterised by

intense rivalry, Kenyans resolved, in unison, to remain peaceful,

united and compassionate. We set a new standard for ourselves:

issue-based campaigns, transparent elections and a peaceful

outcome.

14. I salute all Kenyans who set out every day, everywhere, doing

ordinary things in inspired and extraordinary ways to fend for

themselves and their families, thereby keeping the country going. I

commend those whose work involves service to others. I celebrate

those who volunteer and give, expecting nothing in return, yet serve

selflessly. From the farmers who feed our nation to the drivers who

connect all parts of the country by conveying people and

goods, educators who impart knowledge to our infants in

kindergartens, children in schools and youth in tertiary institutions,

medical staff in wards, in the field and training institutions, workers

in quarries and construction sites, artisans in their small sheds and

in large workshops, traders on the side streets in rural and urban

markets, and all the way to the Nairobi Securities

Exchange, professionals who give their best in every sector of

national endeavour and our men and women in uniform, whose

bravery and commitment continue to set the gold standard for

sterling devotion to our flag - this nation salutes your service and

celebrates your contribution. These are real acts of heroism.

15. Because of the contributions of Kenyans everywhere, our country

continues to make great strides towards socio-economic

transformation, shared prosperity and enhanced wellbeing for our

people. In the East and Horn of Africa regions, the larger

African continent and globally, this nation expresses our values with

greater clarity, and the State projects our aspirations more

emphatically.

Agriculture

16. It is now time to lay the foundation for our future. Agriculture, as the

lead sector to the economic transformation of our country, is the

place to start, owing to its potential for high and quick returns on

investment. But the situation in the country is wanting and we have

a severe food shortage as a result of a prolonged drought in Kenya

and the larger Horn of Africa region, the worst in nearly half a

century, with three years of failed rain. Coupled with this are the

extremely high global fertiliser prices. Our government’s initial

intervention to mitigate these challenges has been to step up food

supply in northern Kenya and other regions and ensure better

coordination between government and development partners. We

thank our partners for their input that has gone a long way in

relieving the dire situation.

17. World fertiliser prices have more than doubled in the past 2 years

since Covid-19. The prices were passed on to farmers, and the cost

skyrocketed to more than Ksh7,000 for a 50-kg bag. This had a

huge impact on productivity of farmers last year. For example,

maize production suffered a deficit of more than 10 million bags.

Our government’s first intervention to address the fertiliser

challenge and make it available to counties and regions that plant

in the short rain season, was to import 1.5 million 50kg bags and

distribute them at a lower cost of Ksh3,500. We have also made

arrangements to make another 6 million bags of various types of

fertiliser available for the long rains season. We have also asked

county governments to work with us on last-mile delivery to centres

close to farmers.

18. These, however, are short-term measures, and we have to take

very bold steps to end the perpetual cycle of hunger and

dependency on rain-fed agriculture. We must eradicate hunger in

our country in the shortest time possible. To do this, we have the

following plans:

a) We have to increase agriculture productivity. We will support all

farmers to access quality inputs such as seeds, fertiliser and

pesticides, among others and also ensure that our farmers have

access to extension services in order to improve farming skills.

In the short-term, we will continue with the fertiliser import

programme. But in the medium term, the government plans to

have fertiliser manufactured in partnership with EAC countries

in our region.

b) On seeds, our government will work with local research

institutions and both the public and private sectors to scale up

seed multiplication for all crops.

c) However, irrigation is the ultimate solution in guaranteeing food

security. In 2017, the government set out to build 57 dams to

harness water for irrigation and domestic use. Many did not

even start, few are complete while the rest are ongoing. The

huge capital outlay required for dam construction in the context

of competing budgetary priorities, poses a huge challenge to

this programme.

d) To address this challenge, we are working on innovative

investment mechanisms through public-private partnerships to

construct at least 100 dams. Consequently, it would be possible

to progressively irrigate the 3 million acres already identified as

irrigable land. In the next three years, the government plans to

double the land under irrigation to 1.4 million acres. Of these,

200,000 acres will be under rice irrigation and 500,000 under

other food crops. Rice production in Bunyala, the Tana Delta,

Rohole in Garissa, Mwea and Ahero will take priority.

e) Our dairy farmers struggle with the high cost of feed and

challenges of storage, preservation of milk and access to

markets. To assure them that they are on our priority list, we

have taken immediate steps to reinstate the stalled milk coolers’

programme and the distribution of 650 milk coolers will resume

shortly. In our plan, we have identified dairy and livestock

economy as sub-sectors with the quickest economic

turnaround time and they will become key drivers in improving

food security, creating jobs and boosting exports.

Housing

19. We have equally committed to close the housing gap, which stands

at 2 million units as at now. Our target is to increase the supply four-fold from 50,000 to 200,000 per year. Already, 2,592 units have been completed, 40,452 are under construction and over 500,000 units that require financial backstopping and funding for bulk infrastructure are in the pipeline.

20. I am happy to report today that the interest in the housing sector

has grown immensely and that many private investors, including

pension funds, have submitted proposals on the housing projects

they would like to invest in. We will work together on these projects

to facilitate their realisation.

21. It is clear from engagements with investors that the Government

needs to evolve from being a mere enabler to becoming a sponsor

of projects. Not only will we provide land and bulk infrastructure,

but I will personally take charge of the process to unlock the

challenges that inhibit investment. For instance, VAT exemption on

inputs has been enacted to lower the cost of construction, but its

implementation has been curtailed by delays in approving

applications for VAT refunds. As a result, developers pay VAT, but

the cost saving is not enjoyed by the end buyers. Government will

resolve such issues with the urgency required.

22. Let me emphasise that the housing agenda is not just about four

walls and a roof. The demand for affordable housing is an

opportunity to create jobs and stimulate the economy. Our

manufacturing sector, which already supplies many products in the

construction industry, will have expanded business opportunities.

Other housing inputs such as doors, windows, gates and hinges will

be made by our jua kali industry. We are designing the programme

in a way that will upgrade and support Jua Kali by linking it with

technical and vocational education institutions. In the end, we

expect enterprises that produce housing products to emerge or

expand, creating jobs and wealth for hustlers, making our housing

plan truly transformational from the bottom up.

23. We want to recreate the experience of hardworking Kenyans like

John Ochieng, who is present as one of my guests today. I met him

two days ago when I handed over keys to new homeowners in

Ongata Rongai in Kajiado County under the affordable housing

scheme. Ochieng began working as a carpenter in that housing

project when it began two years ago; then, home ownership to him

was a mere dream. Two years later, he owns an apartment in the

same estate. Given that there are developments today that cater to

the housing needs of ordinary Kenyans like John, I am convinced

that it is possible to provide quality affordable housing for rent and

sale, and Ochieng’s story will be replicated multiple times over

throughout the country. We, therefore, proceed with the confidence

that we will provide quality climate-smart housing that Kenyans can

buy with mortgages for as low as Ksh5,000 a month to be made

available through various home financing arrangements.

24. Next week on Tuesday, I will break ground at the Kibera Soweto B

in Nairobi for a housing project which will deliver thousands of

social housing units. Going forward, we intend to collaborate with

county governments to achieve a target of at least 5,000 units in

every county. Counties with larger metropolitan areas have a

greater opportunity and can target as many as 50,000 units since

as demand is higher due to population density. We have asked

counties to identify land for this Housing program.

Access to Credit

25. Access to credit is a stimulant that invigorates the economy.

However, high interest rates crowd out the private sector, and

especially the small and medium enterprises. Our commitment on

affordable credit was at the heart of the Kenya Kwanza election

campaign. Already, expectations are very high across the country

on our promise to provide a fund that will offer affordable credit to

those at the bottom of the pyramid. We are aware that the most

significant question in the streets, boda boda parking lots and fresh

produce markets is: WHEN will the Hustlers Fund become

operational? I have an answer for you today.

26. Even before the fund is set up, we have made several

interventions to make credit accessible.

a) Safaricom and their financial partners have brought down the

cost of Fuliza by reducing interest rates by 50 per cent. As part

of that agreement, 4 million borrowers, who had been blacklisted,

will be freed from the yoke of the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB),

in the coming days. We have also secured an agreement with

CRB that it will abandon the punitive penalty of blacklisting

borrowers and move to a credit scoring system that makes

borrowers eligible for credit even as they work to improve their

creditworthiness.

27. As a result, no citizen will be excluded from the credit system. They

will, therefore, be eligible to access credit as they work their way

out in paying their loans.

28. On the Hustlers Fund, three issues are crucial:

a) Credit products will be available to small businesses on digital

platforms at affordable rates to individuals and through chamas,

groups, saccos and cooperatives.

b) All borrowers on this platform will also participate in a short-term

savings plan and long-term pensions program. Every saving

made by borrowers on this platform will be merged by the

government of Kenya on a 2:1 ratio to a level to be determined

by the program.

c) I will launch this Hustler Fund credit and savings product on the

1st of December this year.

Universal Health Care

29. Health is front and centre of socio-economic development. The

failure of a healthcare system undermines prosperity. Kenyan

families spend a total of Ksh150 billion in out-of-pocket expenditures

on health services a year mobilised from various sources, including

harambees, Whatsapp MPESA, loans, sale of land and other assets,

to pay hospital bills for loved ones. Also, many small businesses fail

when owners fall ill and cannot work, or divert money to pay medical

expenses. It is no wonder, then, that it is commonly said that most

families and individuals in Kenya are one illness away from poverty.

1 million Kenyans sink into poverty every year because of medical

expenses.

30. We want to lift this punitive burden from the shoulders of Kenyans

and their businesses through our universal health care plan. The plan

is to revitalise primary healthcare by laying more emphasis on

preventive and promotive strategies. Many critical health illnesses,

including cancer, heart complications, kidney failure and

hypertension, can be detected and addressed at this level without

the need for a hospital visit or admission.

31. Our health reform commitment is, therefore, three-fold:

a) In partnership with county governments, we will mainstream

community health workers and make them the foundation of our

healthcare system.

b) Reforming the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) is a

necessary imperative. Progress has been made in enrolling more

members. In the past 10 years, 12 million Kenyans have joined the

fund. The challenge, however, is that the NHIF is an occupational

scheme for salaried people on payroll in the public and private

sectors, and not the social insurance scheme it ought to be. We

shall change the contribution structure from an individual

contributory scheme to a household contribution model.

c) We intend to address the challenge of inadequate human

resources in the public hospitals and the poor industrial relations

between health professionals and county governments. We are

particularly committed to the professional development of health

workers. I take this opportunity to assure health workers that we

have listened to them and we will propose ways, in collaboration

with county governments, of resolving their outstanding issues.

Digital Superhighway

32. Kenya is a strong leader in the information, communication and

technology space. We are the proud regional and continental hub of

innovation. We have the appropriate policy framework,

constitutionally protected freedoms of expression, media, information

and communication to dominate the creative arts and entertainment

arena.

33. Our youth have consistently shown robust interest in this field and are

engaged on various platforms, generating captivating content that is

appreciated globally. There is tremendous potential for our country to

become a global leader, employ hundreds of thousands of young

people and generate immense wealth if we facilitate the young people

to plug into the global digital economy.

34. To achieve these purposes, the government is committed to invest in

the digital superhighway and the creative economy, which will be

enablers of transformation, productivity and overall

competitiveness. Over the next 5 years, the government will ensure

universal broadband availability through the roll-out of connectivity

throughout the country. The laying out of an additional 100,000km of

the national fibre-optic network is expected to deliver this target.

35. Government services shall be made available throughout the country

at greater convenience to citizens through digitisation and

automation of all critical government processes, with a view to

bringing at least 80 per cent of all government services online.

36. Moreover, to bring more Kenyans, especially the youth online for

business, learning, entertainment and socialisation, the government

intends to take measures to bring down the cost of calls and

data. This initiative converges with the efforts to boost the creative

economy and scale up cultural production and the arts industry.

37. Our government is also committed to the establishment of more arts

and culture infrastructure, including theatres, music auditoriums

and art galleries, and extensive refurbishing of facilities to expand

spaces for artistic and cultural expression and production.

38. The government is also firmly committed in investing in the robust

delivery of the five pillars of our plan for socio-economic

transformation. This investment is undertaken in full recognition of

national values and principles of governance as well as broader

national interests and goals. They include policy, legislative and

regulatory framework, national security, justice, law and order and

education.

Rule of Law

39. There are parts of this country where personal safety and security are

precarious, and life expectancy is low. Poverty and the cost of living

are high because markets and supply chains have been disrupted or

threatened by insecurity. The well-being of residents in these areas is

as paramount as that of every other citizen of Kenya. They, too,

deserve to live and work in safety and dignity, and to pursue

happiness without let or hindrance. And yet terrorists, bandits, cattle

rustlers and all manner of violent criminals have wreaked havoc on

their lives for far too long. Criminals have held them back,

extinguishing or deferring far too many hopes and dreams as the rest

of the country progresses.

40. It is time for this lawlessness to stop for good. Our Government has

undertaken necessary personnel realignments in the security services

to facilitate the rapid achievement of our objectives. On my first day in

office, I executed the instrument to actualise the financial autonomy

of the National Police Service, and have given the necessary directives to enable it rapidly achieve national security strategic

objectives. These actions extend to the facilitation of the Director of

Criminal Investigations to expeditiously resolve investigations to a

standard that can support effective prosecution and secure

conviction.

41. The independence of the National Police Service is essential for its

institutional credibility and efficiency, citizen safety and welfare, and

effective maintenance of law and order. A professional police service

fosters harmonious relationships with citizens and communities,

cannot be weaponised in pursuit of divisive or partisan agenda and

can never resort to disastrous policies like extra-judicial murder as

part of policing. I believe we can keep this country safe and secure

without tormenting our people. We can efficiently and

effectively suppress crime, monitor, disrupt and

apprehend criminals without abducting, torturing, killing or causing

citizens to disappear.

It is time to retire these terrible tactics and professionalise our criminal

justice system. That is why our government is taking strong measures

to facilitate the enhancement of capacities along the chain. I have

directed that immediate measures be undertaken to disband

the Special Services Unit in the Directorate of Criminal

Investigations and with urgency investigations must commence so

that those found culpable are held accountable. There must also be

robust mechanisms throughout the police service to maintain high

professional standards, scrupulous adherence to the rule of law,

accountability for actions and decisions and operational transparency.

42. At the terminal end of this chain, the government has undertaken its

obligations to observe judicial independence while actualising

the Judiciary Fund, enhancing budgetary allocation to enable

it invest in infrastructure and facilitate the appointment of more judges

to expand access to justice. Effective deterrence of crime requires

robust prosecution, while economic efficiency, investor confidence

and competitiveness all depend on effective dispute resolution. A

well-resourced, independent, impartial and thoroughly

professional judiciary is indispensable for good governance, law and

order and is also essential for financial sustainability, transactional

effectiveness and business competitiveness.

43. The institutional independence of the judiciary must be upheld at all

times, and the independence of judges respected as the minimum

gesture of respect for the rule of law.

44. The fight against corruption must be won. Our government intends to

wage this fight and demonstrate its commitment to zero tolerance to

corruption by making all public servants accountable, and submitting

to the oversight of Parliament and other constitutionally mandated

institutions. We are committed to the rule of law, fidelity to

constitutional due process and implementation of judicial decrees and

orders. Most critically, under my administration, there shall be no

interference with, or any attempts to control, direct or undermine

independent institutions, including those in the justice, law and order

sector. The National Police Service, the Office of the Director of

Public Prosecutions, the Judiciary and the Ethics and Anti-

Corruption Commission shall perform their duties independently and

professionally, and likewise subject themselves to oversight byappropriate agencies. This is our vision for ensuring that the war on corruption is not itself corrupted by inappropriate interventions.

Education

45. For our socio-economic transformation to be truly inclusive, we must

empower all Kenyans, regardless of background, to effectively play their

part by contributing to the nation building effort, and partaking of the

dividends of shared prosperity. High-quality and relevant education is

vital in imparting the necessary skills and competencies to learners from

pre-primary to the tertiary level, in order to enable citizens engage

meaningfully with the world of the present and the future.

46. A week ago, we launched the Presidential Working Party on

Education Reforms to review all aspects of education in Kenya. Its

findings and recommendations shall inform subsequent necessary

intervention to ensure that Kenya delivers the calibre of education,

skills and training needed to successfully pursue sustainable

development.

Climate Change

47. We are concerned about climate change and its impact on Kenya

generally and our arid and semi-arid regions in particular. We will

address the effects of this phenomenon and its ravaging effects at

home and abroad. Our pastoralist communities have experienced

scarcity of pasture due to a prolonged drought, the worst in 40 years,

and three years of absolute rain failure. As a result, we have lost 2.5

million head of livestock owing to drought. Rising food prices have

made an already bad situation worse. Elsewhere, communities in rural

and urban areas across the country are equally struggling under the

weight of high food prices and shortages of water.

48. Without a doubt, climate change is complicating our roadmap

towards socio-economic transformation and achievement

of Sustainable Development Goals.

49. As we seek short-term measures to respond to the evolving situation,

I have directed that a long-term and sustainable solution to the

planetary challenges be put in place. The ultimate solution includes

greening our country to more than 30 per cent of tree cover by 2032.

50. The central role forests play in addressing the effects of climate

change has become more prominent now than ever before, thanks to

their unparalleled capacity to absorb, store carbon and regulate

climate. Of the 59.2 million hectares land area in Kenya, only 5.2

hectares are under forest cover. The remaining 54 million hectares are

largely in arid and semi-arid lands.

51. The 10 counties with the highest forest cover are Nyeri, Lamu, Vihiga,

Kirinyaga, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Meru, Embu, Murang’a, Kilifi and

Nyandarua. On the reverse, the 10 counties with the lowest tree cover

are Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Isiolo, Siaya, Migori, Busia, Machakos,

Taita-Taveta and Uasin Gishu. I call upon the Council of Governors to

facilitate more discussions to achieve parity in tree cover by using

peer-to-peer learning and exchange of information. The government

will champion the transformation of forestry and rangeland restoration

to support the greening of Kenya so as to combat climate change.

52. We are at the final stages of designing a Special Presidential Forestry

and Rangeland Restoration Programme. This effort is spearheaded by

the ministry of environment and Forestry, various experts and partners

in government, UN organisations, NGOs and academia. The objective

is to grow 5 billion trees in the next 5 years, and an additional 10 billion

trees by 2032. This will eventually lead to the rehabilitation and

restoration of 10.6 million hectares in the 290 constituencies, as well

as some specially selected ecosystem and water towers threatened

by degradation and destruction.

53. To achieve this ambitious PLAN, the Government will continue to

support efforts by the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) in

high quality tree seed production in their 18 Tree Seeds Centers

countrywide.

54. Agro-forestry and farming of avocados, mangoes and macadamia will

also open new value chains for our export market, creating new green

jobs in the sector. I, therefore, urge all Kenyans to support the

government’s call to grow at least 15 billion trees in the next 10 years.

To achieve this target, every Kenyan should grow 300 trees.

55. Reforestation in the presidential programme will be undertaken by

youth and women groups, civil society, community and religious

organisations, leveraging on private sector and government financing.

To ensure sustainable funding, Kenya is developing policies and

strategies to tap into the global carbon market opportunities,

accessible through carbon trading.

56. Additionally, the Government will secure and protect public forests,

rehabilitate and restore all degraded water towers and other forest

ecosystems across the country. We will work towards fencing all

fragile water towers and other ecosystems to protect them from

encroachment. To resolve the capacity constraints at the Kenya

Forestry Service, I have directed the immediate recruitment of an

additional 2,700 forest rangers and 600 forest officers to augment our

interventions in this sector.

57. Shortly, I will also be inaugurating the Climate Change Council that

will steer Kenya’s climate action through stakeholder engagements

coordinated in the presidency, as required by the Climate Change Act,

2016.

58. Under the programme, we will start mobilising finance from public,

private and multilateral sources, to fund the proposed activities. This

is anchored on the United Nations goals and backed by the Tree

Growing and Sustainable Forestry Finance Management Programme,

supported UN and other international institutions. The programme

also responds to Kenya’s commitments to help reduce global

greenhouse gas emissions articulated in various multi-lateral

environmental agreements, and the United Nations Decade of Action

on Ecosystem Restoration. Kenya will rally the globe towards more

ambitious climate action in next month’s 27th UN Climate Change

Conference, at Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt.

59. In an increasingly interconnected world, our well-being depends on

the engagement with our neighbours, continental fraternity and

international partners. In all these arenas, Kenya has continued to be

a dependable ally, faithful friend and effective partner, ever committed

to win-win bilateral as well as multilateral outcomes, that achieve

mutual gains for the benefit of humanity.

60. In the East African Community, the rigid territorial borders are firmly

on the way out, as we move towards full integration. Non-tariff

barriers have come down, and trade volumes have soared.

The community is becoming even more tightly connected

with infrastructure systems criss-crossing the member countries. The

possibility of an East African Federation is no longer a wild

imagination or an idle dream. It is no longer a matter of if, it is a

matter of when.

61. In recent days, I have been to our sister countries in East Africa to take

care of mutually beneficial regional business. In Ethiopia, we launched

Safaricom Ethiopia telecoms’ money business, which

expanded Safaricom and Mpesa’s regional footprint, dispersing ICT

innovation and deepening the revenue base of the company.

Simultaneously, Safaricom became the largest foreign investor in

Ethiopia, and Kenya’s biggest foreign investor abroad.

62. The East African Community has become a close-

knit neighbourhood, and everyone’s well-being has become

everybody’s business. With this unity and integration, we will achieve

much in our lifetime. And with these bonds of solidarity and fraternity,

we shall establish an oasis of hope and infinite possibility that will be

irresistible to the whole world.

63. In the Horn of Africa, peace and security efforts continue to dominate

our engagement. They are important components of a broader

strategy to recover stability in what has become a truly

rough neighbourhood. Countering violent extremism, controlling

the illegal movement of small arms, peace-building and peace-

keeping initiatives will continue to dominate the agenda.

64. The conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia which, according to reports

from the office of the United Nations secretary-general, is escalating,

is a great source of concern for our region. Kenya shall continue to

play its role by making such contributions as is required of us, by the

Africa Union-sponsored mediation efforts. The sooner hostilities

cease and face-to-face talks commence, the better for our region.

65. The region is experiencing its 5th season of severely low rain due to

climate change. As a result, mitigation strategies, resilience-building

initiatives and climate change management programmes have

become urgent. The pressure on the capacity of regional States has

never been greater.

66. On the continental stage, we have sustained our Pan-

African credentials since the dawn of African unity. That is why

various frameworks of the African Union find expression in our

domestic agenda. The AU’s Agenda 2063, for example, is part of our

economic development plan.

67. Kenya is committed to the pursuit of trade-driven pan-Africanism as

the best means of rapidly delivering shared prosperity throughout our

continent. As we open up our borders and expand the scope of

collaboration beyond traditional economic blocs, the reality of a

continental free market has become a reality.

68. Kenya is a champion of the Africa Continental Free Trade

Area, AfCTA. Beyond ratifying the instruments establishing it and

domesticating its framework, Kenya has been a consistent participant

in efforts to make this continental agreement a reality. We see this as

the pathway that guarantees inclusive African economic growth and

sustainable self-reliance. In turn, this will hasten our continent’s post-pandemic recovery, enhance climate change resilience and underpin stability in the face of multiple regional and global crises, including energy volatility.

69. Our implementation strategy envisions pan-African free trade as a

vehicle for empowering small and medium enterprises.

70. To signal this commitment, I recently flagged off

a symbolic consignment of KETEPA tea to Ghana under the Guided

Trading Initiative. Trade between Ghana and Kenya is off to an

admirable start and several firms and traders in the two countries

have undertaken brisk business, involving exports of incinerators,

sisal fibre, leather bags, fuel filters, beadworks and baskets

from jua kali artisans. This points to the huge potential of trade across

the continent.

71. Beyond our continent, Kenya continues to pursue a robust policy of

economic diplomacy. We are continuously aligning our strategic

interests with the welfare of our people. Therefore, we are focused on

finding opportunities for our people and deeper trade relations around

the globe. We are receiving encouraging returns on our efforts. This

week, our international port at Lamu scored a shining first, with the

export of livestock from northern Kenya to the Sultanate of Oman.

This signals the opening up of tremendous opportunities for the

pastoralists in our rangeland communities who deserve relief from the

devastating losses of ravaging drought.

72. We also remain devoted to our strategic engagements with key

development partners like the United States, which is now Kenya’s

premier trading partner, as well as the United Kingdom - which for

long held that position - the European Union, Middle Eastern nations,

the Far East, including China and Japan, and, indeed, many other

parts of the world.

73. Kenya’s diplomacy is deliberately shifting into emerging opportunities.

We are prepared to exploit the potential of the blue economy and the

fast-evolving digital universe to position our young generation as

competitive global players.

74. Kenya’s commitment to multilateralism is a fundamental plank of our

diplomatic strategy and foreign policy. This has defined

our international outlook since the advent of self-government and

full sovereignty. We have hosted several multilateral institutions and

aspire to receive more. Kenya has participated in many multilateral

undertakings, including humanitarian missions, international peace-keeping and pandemic responses.

75. We join other nations of the Global South to advocate

democratisation of global governance, and to invest the multilateral

system with higher moral imagination. We believe that global

governance must reflect the values it claims to advance and protect.

76. To effectively drive our diplomacy and international engagement,

Kenya has unified and clarified its policy in our Vision 2030 and our

government’s 5-Pillar Plan for socio-economic transformation, the

5th East African Community Development Strategy, AU Agenda

2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The purpose of

this alignment is to ensure that we forge a path for the achievement of

our objectives of enhancing the well-being of humanity.

77. We have warned the international community about global fertiliser

shortage and the risk it poses to global food shortage. Whether we are

speaking at the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, or

the UN Oceans Conference in Lisbon, our commitment to enhancing

climate change responses is strong and vocal.

78. Kenya advocates post-pandemic solidarity on a global scale to avert

economic crisis in the wake of Covid-19 by mobilising international

partnership and cooperation for recovery and resilience. This extends to

the need to ease the debt burden of economically vulnerable developing

countries and to afford them liquidity and fiscal space to manage shocks,

enhance social investment, invest in climate change adaptation and

mitigation, address security needs and finance development.

79. As an anchor state in the Eastern Africa and the Horn, Kenya has

sustained its robust efforts to achieve lasting peace and security. We

have also used the opportunity to serve at the UN Security Council

to give priority to regional peace, counter terrorism and violent

extremism, support peace operations and to further the climate and

security agenda. We consider these contributions to be critical in

building a safe and peaceful world that is safe, and conducive to human

flourishing.

80. Government efforts to affirm and project Kenya’s stature globally has

always been complemented by the contributions of Kenyan citizens who

live and work in various parts of the world. This demonstrates the

complementarity of State and citizen action, and the inevitable alignment

between patriotism and national well-being. We are all united in the quest

for a Kenya we can all be proud to call home. Our diaspora continues to

serve as Kenya’s excellent ambassadors along with our sports

people and the Kenyans who continue to excel abroad in diverse fields.

You make us proud and, in so doing, demonstrate the true spirit

of uShujaa.

81. Kenya is a good neighbour, true friend, loyal ally, dependable partner and

hardworking member of the international community. It lives up to its

strong value system, fluently articulating the ideals of compassion,

solidarity, justice, freedom and sovereignty. As a nation, we project and

amplify values and principles familiar to each one of us, and which form

the heart of our constitutional system. Greater fidelity to

the Constitution and better compliance with its mandates and principles

will not only make us better citizens and worthy patriots, it will make

Kenya a stronger nation. We, therefore, have a duty to respect, uphold

and defend the Constitution. The nation building enterprise enlists all

citizens to recognise their stake in making and keeping Kenya great.

Patriotism is a bottom up affair.

82.We are called upon to stand firmly on our values and strengthen our

resolve to wage war on poverty and inequality by pursuing inclusive

growth. Our aim is to remove all obstacles and bring down every barrier

to progress. By celebrating our values, we honour our heroes. Every act

of nation-building is an expression of these values, and a most

appropriate remembrance of those who began our journey towards

sovereignty, freedom and happiness.

83. This is a time for action. The opportunities to contribute to this historic

project are limitless. It is time for us as citizens to play our part in making

the Kenya we imagine come true and to turn the nation we dream of into

our lived experience. This moment calls for the exercise all our abilities,

talents, gifts, skills and strengths in pursuit of national as well as personal

self-actualisation. It demands that we demonstrate the patriotism of a

new age and express the timeless values, which unite us with our

heroes and heroines.

84. We are endowed with far greater capacity today than ever in our history

to pursue and accomplish major feats. Our predecessors, with far

modest means, nevertheless scored monumental triumphs. There is

absolutely no ceiling on our dreams, no limit to our determination, and

no barrier to our collective power. Nothing stops us from becoming what

we wish to be, and nothing can stand in the way of our resolve to drive

Kenya to its destiny of glory and abundance.

85. I stand here, therefore, on this sacred ground where we first raised our

proud flag at the dawn of freedom, where we made a covenant

to honour their glorious triumph and fine example by embracing their

values and serving our nation, to rally every Kenyan to rise up. This is our

moment to get up, work hard, take our chances, chase our dreams,

knock on doors and explore possibilities, because the horizon of our

destiny is draped in the splendor of our vision, and before us lies

the potential of a magnitude never before imagined. It is all ours for the

taking, and I know we are ready, for it is our time.

86. Happy Mashujaa Day. May our heroes continue to inspire us, and may

our national values ever remain the True North of our moral compass.

God bless you,

God bless Kenya.