Audio By Vocalize
President William Ruto has claimed his administration is on the right track in the implementation of projects and successful legislations as a result of their political union with the ODM party.
Ruto said the establishment of the National Infrastructure Fund and the enactment of the enabling law in Parliament would not have been possible without the pact that brought unity in the country.
He said the alliance between the ruling Kenya Kwanza and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) made it possible for Kenya to undertake several projects that were initiated a long time ago but could not be implemented due to a lack of political goodwill and decisive leadership.
“For those of you who may not have the responsibility of leading from a national standpoint, you don’t understand what unity can do,” he said on Friday evening, when he hosted an Iftar dinner for Muslims at State House, Mombasa.
The meeting was attended by ODM Party Leader Oburu Oginga, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, Cabinet Secretaries Salim Mvurya (Sports) and Aden Duale (Health), among others.
President Ruto also credited the broad-based Government for the successful roll-out of the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Initial Public Offering (IPO) at the Nairobi Securities Exchange recently.
He disclosed that the Cabinet memo for the KPC privatisation was first drafted during President Mwai Kibaki’s leadership between 2002 and 2013, but stalled due to lack of political goodwill and unity.
“That shows you the power of unity. As a leader, I don’t take it for granted when leaders and citizens come together,” he said.
He added: “We thank God for leadership that dares to make tough decisions that help change the destiny of our nation and the unity of purpose in the so-called broad-based Government to execute it.”
Dr. Oginga said the National Infrastructure Fund would correct the historical marginalisation that the people of northern Kenya have suffered since independence.
“The independent government wrote a paper called Sessional Paper Number 10 of 1965, which excluded arid and semi-arid areas from national development. The National Infrastructure Fund must be used to correct that,” he said.
President Ruto said 12 dams to be funded through the National Infrastructure Fund have been identified, 60 percent of which will be in northern Kenya.
“That is the future of agricultural and food security interventions in Kenya,” he said.
Ruto said that the government will continue issuing national identity cards and passports to residents of northern Kenya and the Coast, as their rights were denied for a long time.
“We are correcting injustices of the past, righting the wrongs meted out against fellow citizens because of prejudice. What we are doing is not a favour but giving the people their rights,” he said.
He told Kenyan Muslims to feel part of the Kenyan society, reiterating that they have equal rights as all other Kenyans.
“As Muslims, the positions you hold in government today are not favours; they are rights you are entitled to as all other citizens of Kenya,” he said.
He called on religious leaders to partner with the government in the fight against alcohol and drug abuse.
He said the vices are damaging the most critical section of the nation’s population-the youth- hence the need for concerted efforts to combat them.
“I ask religious leaders and parents to pray and protect our children, and to also take the necessary steps so that we don’t lose the future of our nation,” he said.
Other leaders at the Iftar dinner were Muslim religious leaders led by the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims chairman Hassan ole Naado, MPs, MCAs, and other guests.
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border-radius: 50%;
background: #CC0000;
flex-shrink: 0;
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font-size: 0.97rem;
line-height: 1.7;
color: #2C2C2C;
font-weight: 400;
margin: 0 0 1.4rem;
font-family: Georgia, serif;
}
.std-banner-body strong {
font-weight: 700;
color: #0D0D0D;
}
.std-cta-row {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 1rem;
flex-wrap: wrap;
margin-bottom: 1.2rem;
}
.std-btn-subscribe {
display: inline-flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 0.6rem;
background: #CC0000;
color: #fff !important;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 0.8rem;
font-weight: 700;
letter-spacing: 0.1em;
text-transform: uppercase;
padding: 0.72rem 1.5rem 0.72rem 1.3rem;
border: none;
cursor: pointer;
text-decoration: none !important;
border-bottom: none !important;
position: relative;
overflow: hidden;
transition: background 0.2s ease, transform 0.15s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease;
box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(204, 0, 0, 0.3);
clip-path: polygon(0 0, calc(100% – 10px) 0, 100% 50%, calc(100% – 10px) 100%, 0 100%);
padding-right: 1.8rem;
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.std-btn-subscribe:hover,
.std-btn-subscribe:focus,
.std-btn-subscribe:visited,
.std-btn-subscribe:active {
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color: #fff !important;
transform: translateY(-1px);
box-shadow: 0 6px 22px rgba(204, 0, 0, 0.4);
text-decoration: none !important;
border-bottom: none !important;
outline: none;
}
.std-btn-subscribe:active {
transform: translateY(0);
}
.std-btn-arrow {
display: inline-block;
font-size: 1rem;
line-height: 1;
transition: transform 0.18s ease;
}
.std-btn-subscribe:hover .std-btn-arrow {
transform: translateX(3px);
}
.std-dismiss {
font-size: 0.75rem;
color: #999;
background: none;
border: none;
border-bottom: 1px dashed #ccc;
padding: 0 0 1px;
cursor: pointer;
font-family: Georgia, serif;
letter-spacing: 0.03em;
transition: color 0.2s;
}
.std-dismiss:hover {
color: #333;
border-bottom-color: #333;
}
/* Payment logos */
.std-payment-row {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 0.45rem;
flex-wrap: wrap;
padding-top: 1rem;
border-top: 1px solid #e0d9d0;
margin-bottom: 0.7rem;
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.std-pay-label {
font-size: 0.6rem;
color: #aaa;
letter-spacing: 0.14em;
text-transform: uppercase;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
margin-right: 0.2rem;
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.std-pay-badge {
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height: 24px;
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border-radius: 3px;
border: 1px solid #e0d7ce;
background: #fff;
box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05);
}
/* M-Pesa */
.std-mpesa-text {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 0.7rem;
font-weight: 900;
}
.std-mpesa-m {
color: #39b74a;
}
.std-mpesa-dash {
color: #db3939;
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.std-mpesa-p {
color: #39b74a;
}
/* Visa */
.std-visa-text {
font-family: ‘Times New Roman’, Times, serif;
font-size: 0.82rem;
font-weight: 900;
font-style: italic;
color: #1a1f71;
letter-spacing: -0.03em;
}
/* Mastercard */
.std-mc-wrap {
position: relative;
width: 28px;
height: 16px;
}
.std-mc-left {
width: 16px;
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border-radius: 50%;
background: #eb001b;
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width: 16px;
height: 16px;
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background: #f79e1b;
position: absolute;
right: 0;
top: 0;
mix-blend-mode: multiply;
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/* Airtel Money */
.std-airtel-text {
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font-weight: 800;
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;
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color: #dd3436;
font-weight: 600;
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font-size: 0.6rem;
font-weight: 700;
color: #003087;
letter-spacing: 0.02em;
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color: #e2001a;
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/* Trust strip */
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.std-trust-strip .std-shield {
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President William Ruto has claimed his administration is on the right track in the implementation of projects and successful legislations as a result of their political union with the ODM party.
Ruto said the establishment
of the National Infrastructure Fund and the enactment of the enabling law in Parliament would not have been possible without the pact that brought unity in the country.
He said the alliance between the ruling Kenya Kwanza and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) made it possible for Kenya to undertake several projects that were initiated a long time ago but could not be implemented due to a lack of political goodwill and decisive leadership.
“For those of you who may not have the responsibility of leading from a national standpoint, you don’t understand what unity can do,” he said on Friday evening, when he hosted an Iftar dinner for Muslims at State House, Mombasa.
The meeting was attended by ODM Party Leader Oburu Oginga, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, Cabinet Secretaries Salim Mvurya (Sports) and Aden Duale (Health), among others.
President Ruto also credited the broad-based Government for the successful roll-out of the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Initial Public Offering (IPO) at the Nairobi Securities Exchange recently.
He disclosed that the Cabinet memo for the KPC privatisation was first drafted during President Mwai Kibaki’s leadership between 2002 and 2013, but stalled due to lack of political goodwill and unity.
“That shows you the power of unity. As a leader, I don’t take it for granted when leaders and citizens come together,” he said.
He added: “We thank God for leadership that dares to make tough decisions that help change the destiny of our nation and the unity of purpose in the so-called broad-based Government to execute it.”
Dr. Oginga said the National Infrastructure Fund would
correct the historical marginalisation
that the people of northern Kenya have suffered since independence.
“The independent government wrote a paper called Sessional Paper Number 10 of 1965, which excluded arid and semi-arid areas from national development. The National Infrastructure Fund must be used to correct that,” he said.
President Ruto said 12 dams to be funded through the National Infrastructure Fund have been identified, 60 percent of which will be in northern Kenya.
“That is the future of agricultural and food security interventions in Kenya,” he said.
Ruto said that the government will continue issuing national identity cards and passports to residents of northern Kenya and the Coast, as their rights were denied for a long time.
“We are correcting injustices of the past, righting the wrongs meted out against fellow citizens because of prejudice. What we are doing is not a favour but giving the people their rights,” he said.
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He told Kenyan Muslims to feel part of the Kenyan society, reiterating that they have equal rights as all other Kenyans.
“As Muslims, the positions you hold in government today are not favours; they are rights you are entitled to as all other citizens of Kenya,” he said.
He called on religious leaders to partner with the government in the fight against alcohol and drug abuse.
He said the vices are damaging the most critical section of the nation’s population-the youth- hence the need for concerted efforts to combat them.
“I ask religious leaders and parents to pray and protect our children, and to also take the necessary steps so that we don’t lose the future of our nation,” he said.
Other leaders at the Iftar dinner were Muslim religious leaders led by the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims chairman Hassan ole Naado, MPs, MCAs, and other guests.
.std-banner-wrap {
max-width: 100%;
width: 100%;
position: relative;
margin: 2.5rem 0 2rem;
font-family: Georgia, ‘Times New Roman’, serif;
}
.std-top-rule {
display: flex;
height: 4px;
}
.std-top-rule .r1 {
background: #CC0000;
flex: 3;
}
.std-top-rule .r2 {
background: #C9A84C;
flex: 1;
}
.std-top-rule .r3 {
background: #0D0D0D;
flex: 6;
}
.std-banner {
background: #F9F5F0;
padding: 2rem 2.2rem 1.8rem;
position: relative;
overflow: hidden;
box-shadow: 0 4px 24px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.10), 0 1px 0 #C9A84C;
border-left: 4px solid #CC0000;
}
.std-banner::before {
content: ‘S’;
position: absolute;
right: -1rem;
top: -2rem;
font-family: Georgia, serif;
font-size: 14rem;
font-weight: 900;
color: rgba(204, 0, 0, 0.04);
line-height: 1;
pointer-events: none;
user-select: none;
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.std-eyebrow {
display: inline-flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 0.5rem;
font-size: 0.62rem;
font-weight: 700;
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text-transform: uppercase;
color: #CC0000;
margin-bottom: 0.85rem;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
}
.std-eyebrow::before {
content: ”;
display: block;
width: 18px;
height: 1.5px;
background: #CC0000;
}
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font-family: Georgia, ‘Times New Roman’, serif;
font-size: clamp(1.3rem, 3.5vw, 1.75rem);
font-weight: 900;
color: #0D0D0D;
line-height: 1.2;
margin: 0 0 0.75rem;
letter-spacing: -0.02em;
}
.std-banner-title .std-hl {
color: #CC0000;
font-style: italic;
}
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gap: 0.6rem;
margin-bottom: 0.9rem;
}
.std-divider::before,
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content: ”;
flex: 1;
height: 1px;
background: #d8d0c6;
}
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width: 6px;
height: 6px;
border-radius: 50%;
background: #CC0000;
flex-shrink: 0;
}
.std-banner-body {
font-size: 0.97rem;
line-height: 1.7;
color: #2C2C2C;
font-weight: 400;
margin: 0 0 1.4rem;
font-family: Georgia, serif;
}
.std-banner-body strong {
font-weight: 700;
color: #0D0D0D;
}
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flex-wrap: wrap;
margin-bottom: 1.2rem;
}
.std-btn-subscribe {
display: inline-flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 0.6rem;
background: #CC0000;
color: #fff !important;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 0.8rem;
font-weight: 700;
letter-spacing: 0.1em;
text-transform: uppercase;
padding: 0.72rem 1.5rem 0.72rem 1.3rem;
border: none;
cursor: pointer;
text-decoration: none !important;
border-bottom: none !important;
position: relative;
overflow: hidden;
transition: background 0.2s ease, transform 0.15s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease;
box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(204, 0, 0, 0.3);
clip-path: polygon(0 0, calc(100% – 10px) 0, 100% 50%, calc(100% – 10px) 100%, 0 100%);
padding-right: 1.8rem;
}
.std-btn-subscribe:hover,
.std-btn-subscribe:focus,
.std-btn-subscribe:visited,
.std-btn-subscribe:active {
background: #A00000 !important;
color: #fff !important;
transform: translateY(-1px);
box-shadow: 0 6px 22px rgba(204, 0, 0, 0.4);
text-decoration: none !important;
border-bottom: none !important;
outline: none;
}
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transform: translateY(0);
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line-height: 1;
transition: transform 0.18s ease;
}
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transform: translateX(3px);
}
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color: #999;
background: none;
border: none;
border-bottom: 1px dashed #ccc;
padding: 0 0 1px;
cursor: pointer;
font-family: Georgia, serif;
letter-spacing: 0.03em;
transition: color 0.2s;
}
.std-dismiss:hover {
color: #333;
border-bottom-color: #333;
}
/* Payment logos */
.std-payment-row {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 0.45rem;
flex-wrap: wrap;
padding-top: 1rem;
border-top: 1px solid #e0d9d0;
margin-bottom: 0.7rem;
}
.std-pay-label {
font-size: 0.6rem;
color: #aaa;
letter-spacing: 0.14em;
text-transform: uppercase;
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
margin-right: 0.2rem;
white-space: nowrap;
}
.std-pay-badge {
display: inline-flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
height: 24px;
padding: 0 0.5rem;
border-radius: 3px;
border: 1px solid #e0d7ce;
background: #fff;
box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05);
}
/* M-Pesa */
.std-mpesa-text {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 0.7rem;
font-weight: 900;
}
.std-mpesa-m {
color: #39b74a;
}
.std-mpesa-dash {
color: #db3939;
}
.std-mpesa-p {
color: #39b74a;
}
/* Visa */
.std-visa-text {
font-family: ‘Times New Roman’, Times, serif;
font-size: 0.82rem;
font-weight: 900;
font-style: italic;
color: #1a1f71;
letter-spacing: -0.03em;
}
/* Mastercard */
.std-mc-wrap {
position: relative;
width: 28px;
height: 16px;
}
.std-mc-left {
width: 16px;
height: 16px;
border-radius: 50%;
background: #eb001b;
position: absolute;
left: 0;
top: 0;
}
.std-mc-right {
width: 16px;
height: 16px;
border-radius: 50%;
background: #f79e1b;
position: absolute;
right: 0;
top: 0;
mix-blend-mode: multiply;
}
/* Airtel Money */
.std-airtel-text {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 0.64rem;
font-weight: 800;
}
.std-airtel-a {
color: #ec2427;
;
}
.std-airtel-m {
color: #dd3436;
font-weight: 600;
}
/* Equitel */
.std-equitel-text {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 0.6rem;
font-weight: 700;
color: #003087;
letter-spacing: 0.02em;
}
.std-equitel-eq {
color: #e2001a;
}
/* Trust strip */
.std-trust-strip {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 0.45rem;
flex-wrap: wrap;
}
.std-trust-strip .std-shield {
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.std-trust-strip span {
font-size: 0.67rem;
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letter-spacing: 0.03em;
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.std-trust-strip .std-dot {
width: 3px;
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background: #ccc;
flex-shrink: 0;
}
/* Bottom rule */
.std-bottom-rule {
height: 2px;
background: linear-gradient(to right, #C9A84C, #CC0000, #0D0D0D);
}
/* Entrance animation */
@keyframes stdSlideUp {
from {
opacity: 0;
transform: translateY(20px);
}
to {
opacity: 1;
transform: translateY(0);
}
}
.std-banner-wrap {
animation: stdSlideUp 0.5s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1) both;
}
Follow The Standard
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By Patrick Beja