“I inherit a bankruptcy government” remarked former President Mwai Kibaki. After he received instruments of power from late president Daniel Arap Moi in 2002.
Coming from tested and proven experience economist former President Kibaki meant Kenya was in economic recession. To fix it. In my analytical view. He [Kibaki] localized the famous USA economic depression fixer. the late President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ‘New Deal’ to fix the youth economic time bomb by creating Youth and Sports Affairs ministry.
He appointed Major Kinuthia Murugu as its Permanent Secretary who launched National Youth Enterprise Fund the Kazi Kwa Vijana initiatives aimed at reducing unemployment and crime among Kenyan youth. It was striding successfully till dark forces who sensed deprivation of easy readily workforce for selfish political means came calling.
Major Kinuthia Murugu was carjacked on June 19, 2009 at 3 am in Kilimani estate of Nairobi and the carjackers shot him in the chest, injuring him seriously. He succumbed of the injuries on July 9, 2009.
The New Deal was based on three principles fairly new to American governments. First, they offered men jobs instead of charity akin kazi kwa vijana. Second, they authorized old age pensions and sick pay where necessary replicated in inua jamii program.
A Federal Emergency Relief Administration [FERA] in The New Deal began to create useful jobs. Five hundred new airports, roads, schools, parks, and playgrounds were built by the unemployed. A feat President Uhuru Kenyatta applied but scuttled when DP Ruto and Raila noted it will built Ann Mumbi Waiguru and solidify her as formidable force in Mt Kenya by capturing youth psyche in it. Remember cut walk and ‘kisungu mingi’ remark by DP Ruto directed at Ann Waiguru, and confession gesture from Raila on Ann Waiguru after handshake.
Now, DP Ruto is making 2022 poll pledge of ‘bottom up model’ to the youth and Raila is pledging 6000 KShs in what he terming enhanced social welfare system.
Finally, the New Deal helped American farmers with government action a policy President Uhuru Kenyatta wanted to built his next Mt Kenya successor after one of Ann Waiguru was distorted. Who then. Francis Mwangi Kiunjuri. Why?
Impressed by Mwangi Kiunjuri’s spirited almost singly helped a youthful political greenhorn William Mirugi, scion of late assistance minister Mirugi Kariuki who died in plane crash in Marsabit in official duty to clinch by-election victory to succeed his father. President Uhuru Kenyatta wanted to tap that ability when he prevailed upon him [Kiunjuri] not to contest Laikipia govern-ship and appointed him Agriculture Cabinet Secretary in tandem with ‘New Deal’ in order to connects with dis-routed coffee and tea farmers by solving their disappoints.
However, political hawked-eye DP Ruto noted this and lured him albeit covertly, I suspect, for running mate slot. Well, fall for it and forgot his boss binding to appoint Uhuru gave him public dressing at Nairobi international show platform. Unfortunately, that did deter Kiunjuri and costed him cabinet slot. Talk of “Muganga” public slaps between Raila and Ruto.