By Joshua Khisa

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has now admitted that efforts by the Kenya Kwanza administration to transform the country’s economy have faced hurdles.

Speaking on Tuesday, the DP said it has been a daunting task to implement the bottom-up agenda due to the bad state of the economy that they found the county.

However, the second in command notes that they have been able to make some strides, promising that in the next few months, the fruits of their hard work will be felt by citizens.

He also pointed out that the tough policies the government has put in place will soon start paying off.

“You all know that we inherited a battered economy and a financially broke government that was reeling from debts. But I am glad to report to you that the country will emerge from those challenges due to the tough policies that we are implementing,” the DP said.

“We have had many challenges as a country in delivering on our promise, but the fruits of our labour will be felt in the next 6 months,” he added.

Since the new regime ascended to power in September 2022, it has been blaming the previous regime for running down the economy with its skewed policies – one of them being huge borrowing and initiating subsidies on consumption.

But President William Ruto from the onset said his government would not borrow to finance its operations – alongside removing the subsidies.

The move has seen the cost of fuel spike to a new high of over Ksh211 per litre for petrol alongside the introduction of more taxes that Kenyans claim were overburdening them.

Ruto however insists it’s only through taxation that the country will be able to grow economically.

“When we took over power, I told you that our first task was to stabilize the economy of this country because it was in a bad state. We have now achieved this and we have decided to never rely on borrowing again to sustain our economy,” the President said in August 2023.

“This issue of borrowing left, right and centre must come to an end. We must build this country on a strong foundation not a foundation of debts,” he added.