The Jubilee administration recently marked two years in power, prompting mixed reactions among Kenyans regarding its successes and failures.
Some of the notable developments during this period include:
- Free Maternity Services: Free maternity services have been introduced in all public hospitals, resulting in a 50% increase in the number of women seeking these services.
- JKIA Terminal Upgrade: The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Terminal 2 was upgraded, increasing passenger capacity by 200% to 7.5 million.
- Slum Upgrading Programmes: The government has initiated slum upgrading projects in several areas, including Kibra, Korogocho, Mathare, and Nyalenda in Kisumu, employing over 3,000 community youths and establishing 15 village committees.
- Beyond Zero Campaign: First Lady Margaret Kenyatta launched the Beyond Zero Campaign, which has distributed fully equipped mobile clinics to 21 counties, aiming to promote safe motherhood and reduce mother-to-child HIV infections.
- Digitization of Records: The Teachers Service Commission has digitized 6,000 teachers’ files, while the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development is developing the National Land Information Management Systems, with 13 land registries reorganized for digitization.
- Use of Social Media: The government has increased its use of social media for information dissemination and feedback collection, although the direct benefits to Kenyans are unclear.
- Huduma Centres: Eleven Huduma Centres have been established to provide a one-stop shop for government services, increasing efficiency and reducing corruption.
- Electricity Generation: 325 megawatts of power have been added to the national grid, with plans to connect 22,000 primary schools to the grid and solar energy.
- Road Network Expansion: The government has embarked on a project to tarmac 10,000km of roads, with contracts awarded for the initial 3,000km.
- Standard Gauge Railway: The construction of Phase I of the Standard Gauge Railway (Mombasa-Nairobi) was commissioned in April 2014, expected to reduce freight costs by 60% and create 30,000 jobs.
- Euro Bond: Kenya successfully launched a $2 billion Euro Bond in 2014, which was oversubscribed, with proceeds used for flagship projects and expected to stabilize the foreign exchange and reduce interest rates.
- Economy Rebased: The country rebased its GDP in 2013, resulting in a rise from $43 billion to $55 billion, making it the ninth largest economy in Africa and a lower middle-income country.
The impact of these developments on Kenyans remains a subject of debate.
