This is why I want to be President

Amani National Congress Leader Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi announced Sunday that he would seek to be Kenya’s fifth president in the August general elections.

And he wants Kenyans to accord him the chance to lead the country promising better leadership compared to others who have offered themselves for the position.

Mudavadi describes himself as a focused, level headed, visionary, truly patriotic and selfless leader.

And that’s not all. The ANC boss says Kenyans can trust him, particularly because he has ‘clean hands, and experience.’

“I want to reclaim the trust and soul of our country.  I ask Kenyans to trust me. I come with clean hands and practical solutions.” he declared during his party’s National Delegates Convention (NDC) held at the Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi

“I offer trust; trust that I will always tell Kenyans the truth, do what I say and not promise what I cannot do.” he said

Top on his agenda, he says, is economic recovery. The ANC leader says he has a track record in this regard. Having served in different Cabinet portfolios for 19 years in various government ministries, Mudavadi says he knows what ails the country’s economy and therefore understands how to fix it.

As minister of Finance (1993-1997), Mudavadi says he helped restore macro-economic stability that spurred Kenya’s growth following a high inflation after the 1992 elections.

As an example, he says he established the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to protect domestic revenue from being stolen.

What’s more, Mudavadi says he made the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) an independent entity, therefore closing avenues of graft under foreign exchange controls regime. Courtesy of these reforms, he says Kenya’s lenders came back, and the economy was soon back on its feet.

“In 1993 Kenya was an international pariah. Bilateral and multilateral lenders shunned us, because borrowed foreign money had gone down corrupt throats, just like now.”

“Economy recovery is not a touch-and-go affair. I desire to lead a change back to economic prosperity.” He said

“I offer trust; trust that I will always tell Kenyans the truth, do what I say and not promise what I cannot do,”-  MUSALIA MUDAVADI

And Musalia insists his is no empty rhetoric, and neither is he living in the past. Under his Uchumi bora, Pesa Mfukoni mantra, the former-VP (2002) and Ex-deputy Prime Minister (2008-2013) is promising to grow the economy by first and foremost restructuring the country’s debt portfolio and negotiate Kenya’s foreign debts.

Under his leadership, the ANC boss says Kenya shall acquire debt and use it prudently for the benefit of all citizens. He decried the decision to adjust the country’s debt ceiling upwards which he claims has facilitated ‘reckless’ borrowing by government. Within the first year of the ANC government, Mudavadi has undertaken to create a debt regulatory institution.

“I am boldly stepping out of the shadows to caution the government against borrowing expensive easy-to-embezzle commercial loans with short repayment periods. I have what it takes to change course. I may not have the fabled Midas Touch. But yes, trust me, I can.” He said

His other agenda, he says, will be to put in place a well-thought out plan to fix the nation’s tax systems so as to take away the burden of high cost of living from Kenyans as well as facilitate success of those in business.

“Punitive heavy taxation is applied to anything and everything – from airtime, to fuel, electricity, agriculture and manufacturing – and the inputs.”

“Tax will no longer be coercive and an impediment to investment.” He vowed.

Mudavadi added that “unlike some eccentric experiments being bandied around, Uchumi Bora, Pesa Mfukoni is about creation of wealth and employment.”

Mudavadi is also promising to end corruption which he claims is hugely counterproductive to economic growth.

To be successful in this mission, the ANC leader says he will strengthen stringent anti-corruption laws; make anti-corruption agencies efficient to stop theft in public procurement, and enforce transparency and accountability in government.

“Targeted for immediate action will be to implement measures to contain the close opportunities for leakages and crackdown on corruption,” He said

He further vowed to fully implement an effective devolution system as demanded by the Constitution and desired by Kenyans.

“I know where the nuts and bolts of a working devolution system are needed.” He promised

Amid this promise, all and sundry will be watching closely to see whether indeed Mudavadi will go all the way to the ballot, especially given that his party ANC has agreed to work with Deputy President William Ruto who is seen to have a upper hand in the August elections alongside ODM leader Raila Odinga – at least according to the surveys.

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