Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has strongly criticised the current state of governance in Kenya, warning that many of the challenges his administration cautioned against have now become reality.
Speaking during the National Delegates Convention (NDC) on Friday, Uhuru said that his message during the last general election was dismissed, but recent developments prove his concerns were valid.
“Some of the truths we spoke of yesterday have become the realities of today,” he remarked.
The former president pointed to the erosion of key social programmes introduced during his tenure, including the Linda Mama maternal health scheme. He criticised its replacement with what he termed “untested and unproven policies,” arguing that Kenyans are suffering while waiting for experimental initiatives to bear fruit.
“Today, many of the gains we had in the past have been eroded. Linda Mama and others replaced by new untried, untested schemes, and while we wait for these experiments to work, Kenyans suffer and our progress is retarded,” he said.
Uhuru also faulted political rhetoric and populist narratives for overshadowing meaningful debate during the 2022 election period. He said that appeals to myths such as “dynasties” derailed conversations on governance and national development.
The former head of state urged delegates to support reforms that would strengthen party structures and shield them from past political manoeuvres. He stressed the importance of including young people and individuals of integrity in leadership, saying ethical and compassionate leadership is essential to restore public trust in institutions.
“Men and women, especially the young in mind and spirit… men and women of integrity who can be entrusted with our future,” he said.
Reflecting on his own experience, Uhuru emphasised that good governance requires innovation, learning from past mistakes, and listening to the voices of the younger generation.
“Over the years, as a leader, you succeed by looking at past success and injecting new ideas and improving them, but you fail by ignoring the past mistakes,” he concluded.
