When President Uhuru Kenyatta steps onto the dais at the new Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum Wednesday morning to make his last Madaraka day speech, it will truly be the end of an era.
Interestingly, his last national event was also his first in 2013 after being elected President in April and gives him an opportunity to celebrate with the 3000 invited guests and Kenyans at large the achievements of his 10-year tenure.
It’s therefore expected that President Kenyatta will use the celebrations to highlight his achievements in a Government that has had its fair share of successes and challenges.
The significance of the event cannot be underestimated, but to put it in context, it’s a journey that traces its footsteps to 1st June 2013, his first national holiday after his election a few months earlier.
He used the celebration to commit to deliver his election pledges on free, quality primary healthcare, free secondary education, affordable housing- policies that were geared towards improving the living standards of Kenyans and transforming the economy.
President Uhuru singled out key areas saying, “My Government has prioritised, among others, Transport and logistics to reduce cost of transport and make our economy competitive, Agricultural transformation and food security aimed at making food available to Kenyans at affordable prices, Security to ensure the safety of our people and facilitate investment, Affordable, adequate and accessible water and energy for households and investors, Quality and equitable education for all school going children, Free maternal health and free access to quality healthcare throughout the country and Affordable and accessible credit to our youth, women and persons with disability.”
As he prepares to vacate office in August, President Kenyatta will not only be leading Kenyans in celebrating the attainment of internal self-rule but use this one last opportunity to outline his scorecard.
What will he be remembered for?
The Standard Gauge Railaway is arguably his biggest infrastructural project since he was elected in 2013.
His enthusiasm and commitment to the project and its timelines were never in doubt. Once complete, Kenyans embraced it with gusto and excitement.
For the first time, they would travel to Mombasa in about 4 hours at an affordable rate, it was the real deal.
Its operationalization culminated with the setting up of two inland container depots in Embakasi and Naivasha, to reduce congestion at the Port of Mombasa and fast track cargo clearance.
It also coincided with the rehabilitation of the old meter-gauge railway and the Nairobi commuter service line to ease traffic congestion.
President Uhuru infrastructural development is second to none, in fact he told Kenyans during a recent meeting with Mt Kenya leaders that not a single President had accomplished what has so far in a record two terms.
It is evident that his administration has left development footprints countrywide. From Lamu port which positions Lamu as the regional transshipment hub to Dongo Kundu bypass at the coast that offers an alternative route to Likoni Ferry for those travelling between Mombasa island and the South coast, his legacy has been cemented.
Other projects include the six-lane Mombasa-Kwa Jomvu dual carriageway that include interchanges at Changamwe, Mikindani and Kwa Jomvu, the new Kipevu Oil Terminal, the rehabilitation of the Kisumu old port and the construction of the Kenol-Sagana-Marua dual carriageway road.
Another of his mega project, is the Ksh62B Nairobi Expressway commissioned this month to decongest Mombasa Road and reduce travel time between Mlolongo and Westlands to an average of 15 minutes.
The project has been implemented under public-private partnership as a toll road.
But perhaps he will be remembered for another reason, like the famous Handshake with Raila Odinga, his rival in the contentious 2013 and 2017 elections.
It was a momentous occasion when the two emerged from Harambee House after hours of deliberations to shake hands and end their perceived political enmity.
He hit the nail on the head when he told his critics that be need the opposition chief to be able to deliver interrupted during his last term, to unite and heal a Country divided by ethnic and contested elections.
The friendship blossomed, culminating with President Kenyatta endorsing Raila as his preferred successor in the forthcoming August 9 election. On the other hand it marked the beginning of the end of the ruling Jubilee Party as well as the ‘bromance’ with his Deputy William Ruto that had characterized the Presidency.
With two months to his exit, the ‘UhuRuto’ political marriage is irreversibly broken. Interestingly, the national fete will bring together Raila and Ruto who are the front runners in the presidential race and in the unlikely event their running mates show up, politics may just take center stage.
However what is not in contention is the 59th Madaraka day celebrations offers the perfect platform to celebrate President Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy.
