Dadaab Member of Parliament (MP) Farah Maalim has lauded President William Ruto’s performance during his first two years in office, asserting that his achievements surpass those of any previous president.
According to Maalim, the Kenyan shilling has strengthened significantly against other major currencies, continuing to gain strength despite Gen Z protests which shook the country.
“President William Ruto has performed better than any other President before him in the first two years of office. The Kenya shilling gained massively against all other convertible currencies and continues to get stronger in the midst of all those protests,” Maalim wrote in a post on X on Sunday, August 25, 2024.
He observed that both the Nigerian and Bangladeshi currencies experienced severe devaluation following their respective protests yet the Kenyan shillings rallied against the dollar despite weeks of Gen Z demonstrations.
“Both Nigerian and Bangladesh currencies lost big time after protests,” Maalim stated.
Ruto dissolved his first Cabinet on July 11, 2024, a move aimed at forming a broad-based government following weeks of anti-government protests led by Gen Z.
The president implemented sweeping changes and austerity measures meant to curb government wastage which had rattled protesting Kenyan youths.
Dadaab lawmaker noted that Ruto sought to address Kenya’s debt challenges by securing loans from the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to retire substantial Chinese loans and Eurobonds incurred by his predecessor.
Under Ruto’s leadership, Maalim praised the reduction in government spending, beginning with cuts to the President’s and First Lady’s offices, as a measure to combat wastage.
He also pointed to the record number of Kenyans finding employment abroad and the impressive recovery in the coffee and tea sectors.
The sugar sector, according to Maalim, is also progressing toward self-sufficiency.
“The coffee and tea sectors are picking up tremendously. The sugar sector is equally cruising towards self-sufficiency,” Maalim argued.
The Dadaab legislator urged Kenyans for patience and support for Ruto’s administration, questioning why similar issues were not raised or protested under former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
He concluded by asserting that Kenya’s economy is in a stronger position today than it was three years ago.
“One wonders why under Uhuru Kenyans didn’t raise the issues the are raising now & protest. To be fair the economy is today doing better than it did 3 years back,” Maalim remarked.