Ruto’s State of Nation address defends party economic scorecard
Kenyan President William Ruto (R) next to the Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya Moses Wetangula (L) delivers the State of Nation address at the Kenyan Parliament in Nairobi, Kenya on November 9, 2023. PHOTO | AFP
Kenyan President William Ruto used his first State of the Nation Address in Parliament Thursday to defend his administration’s IMF and World Bank-backed economic reforms blamed for contributing to the high cost of living in the country.
Ruto said the reforms, which include scrapping of consumption subsidies on fuel and maize flour introduced by the previous administration of former President Uhuru Kenyatta and aggressive taxation meant to wean the country off its binge borrowing, had helped to stabilise the economy and made the public debt sustainable.
