Friday, November 1, 2024 – Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika criticized Kenyans for their constant complaints about President William Ruto, questioning what they truly want.
In a statement, Kihika wondered
why Kenyans are against Ruto borrowing money but still oppose the idea of
Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
“I’m sitting here wondering
what Kenyans really want. You don’t want the President to borrow any more money
but when we have willing investors for PPPs, then you are all up in arms?
“Then
you also don’t want him to raise money internally through the Finance Bill.”
“But yet you want big
things done. When he comes to Nakuru County we want the dualling of the Rironi
– Mau Summit Road, we want the Itaare dam completed, we want the Lanet Airport
completed, we want our poor road networks upgraded where is he supposed to get
this money from?
“He wasn’t a magician the last I checked,” she said in her
statement.
Kihika called for the need to
have PPs to handle infrastructural projects that are too expensive for the
government.
“Wouldn’t it make more
sense for PPP’s to handle some of these very expensive but very necessary
infrastructural projects? Airports like JFK ($9.5B Terminal 1 & $4.2B
Terminal 6), Heathrow (£14B expansion), and Istanbul ($12B new airport) have
thrived under Public-Private Partnerships.
“As we face limits on debt
and as local resource collection mechanisms face challenges, it’s time to
embrace sustainable development solutions such as PPPs for Kenya’s
infrastructure growth. Let’s maximize local resource mobilization and public
private partnerships for a prosperous future,” she added.
This comes about two weeks after
former Prime Minister Raila Odinga advocated for PPPs in Kenya to address the
nation’s financial struggles and infrastructure deficits.
In a statement, Raila emphasized
the urgency of modernizing critical sectors like energy and transportation,
particularly the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, which is operating beyond
capacity.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
