Jubilee manifesto courts private sector, youth, women

The Jubilee Coalition on Sunday launched its manifesto that promises to be big on spending, but with huge emphasis on the role of the private sector, youth and women.

Led by its presidential flag bearer Uhuru Kenyatta, who was Finance minister during the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP), it promises to build on the ESP to create value addition and commercialisation throughout the county economies.

The manifesto launched at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani Gymnasium in Nairobi on Sunday courts the private sector by promising enabling infrastructure and Private Public Partnerships.

The Jubilee coalition wants a Kenya Development Bank established to prop up the private players. It says that once in power, it will reduce business taxes and encourage enterprise zones within every county. The parties intend to boost war against counterfeits apart from reducing bureaucracy for business.

Jubilee, which promises 10 per cent growth within the first two years as it endeavours to create a million jobs, seems largely to read from the Kibaki administration economics.

It promises a stable macroeconomic regime. Despite its sizeable promise of government spending, it still wants to cut the deficit so as to limit amounts spent on debt servicing.

“We will keep the exchange rate stable and control flow of money into the economy in order to lower interest rates and keep inflation in check,” it says.

Jubilee wants to redefine the foreign policy to focus on trade and bilateral relations and facilitate annual meetings between the county governors and ambassadors to maximise trade opportunities.

Launched just a week after that of its rival Cord Alliance, it promises to enhance the role of private players in the health industry while increasing health spending from six to 15 per cent.

But unlike Cord which promised a national health insurance—first promised under former Health minister Charity Ngilu who is in Jubilee—it only promises to reform the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and turn all provincial hospitals to referral hospitals.

The manifesto lays emphasis on primary healthcare provision, research and better remunerating healthcare sector workers.

“We will encourage private sector investment in healthcare and guarantee each family has access to a fully equipped centre within five miles of home,” it says.

A point of convergence between the two coalition parties, however, is the Youth Enterprise Fund. Jubilee specifically says it will grant the fund 2.5 per cent of the national budget.

It wants to merge it with Kenya Industrial Estates and rename it Biashara Kenya. Youths will also be given tax holidays and preference in government procurement while benefiting from industrial parks established in the counties. It promises tax breaks to firms providing youth apprenticeship.

Further spending is expected once the parties move to increase the number of policemen and teachers. Apart from better equipping the policemen, it wants to increase the ratio of policemen from the current 1:1,150 to 1:800.

The parties intend to reduce the ratio of public teacher-to-student ratio to 1:40. Currently teachers are handling up to 80 students in a class following the free primary education.

In agriculture, it will create Agriculture Investment Trusts (AITs) to direct investment into the sector and offer incentives.

The parties have agreed to enforce the controversial one-third gender rule in public appointments.

[email protected]