President William Ruto's inaugural ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo has laughed off the head of state's agenda to propel Kenya to a first-world status.
Speaking at a funeral in Kakamega County's Butere area on Saturday, January 31, Owalo noted that Kenyans are suffering under the current regime and hence, they have no energy to be excited about Kenya becoming like Singapore.
He explained that the country can't progress to any level if its citizenry are still struggling with basic needs.
Owalo, who served as the ICT CS for almost two years between October 2022 and July 2024, suggested that Ruto's talk of making Kenya a first-world country is deceitful and only meant for his political expediency.
He cautioned Kenyans against falling prey to Ruto's political talk.
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"Let us stop lying to Kenyans that we are taking them to Singapore. We can't go to Singapore without money in their pockets. No one would not go Singapore if they can't afford food. Let us say no to Singapore," Owalo said.
Ruto has been restating his commitment to steering Kenya’s economy toward self-reliance, reducing dependence on foreign lenders.
According to him, Kenya has the capacity to grow into a globally competitive economy, drawing parallels with Asian nations such as Korea, China, and Singapore, which rapidly transformed into major economic players.
He argues that Kenya’s main challenge lies not in resources or planning, but in the lack of political will to implement reforms, pointing to leaders in positions of influence who fail to act patriotically.
The president is confident that under his administration, signs of economic transformation are already visible, and projected that within two decades, Kenya will be able to finance development projects without resorting to external borrowing.
Highlighting the success of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) as a domestic source of investment capital, Ruto recently noted that reducing imports of essential goods is another indicator of progress.
He pointed to recent infrastructure financing models, such as the partnership between NSSF and the China Road and Bridge Corporation for the Nairobi-Rironi-Mau Summit Highway, and the planned introduction of tolls to fund road maintenance.
Kenya’s debt, currently above KSh 11 trillion, much of it accrued during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure for projects like the Standard Gauge Railway and Nairobi Expressway, remains a priority for repayment during Ruto’s presidency.
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