This archive report was first published on 7 November 2019.
Published on November 7, 2019, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma has justified President Uhuru Kenyatta's foreign trips as a necessary activity for the country's development.
According to Dr Juma, President Kenyatta's duty as the head of State is to cut deals that will spruce the economy, which cannot be limited to within the country's boundaries.
President Kenyatta has made over 90 trips abroad in his seven-year stint at the presidency, sparking anger among tax burdened citizens.
"The president has a duty to grow opportunities and reduce the risks for this country. These don't just happen within the territory of Kenya," said Dr Juma in an exclusive interview with Daily Nation and NTV.
She attributed Kenya's status as the biggest attractor of direct foreign investments and increase in the ease of doing business globally to the president's foreign interactions.
However, the situation on the ground seems to be different, with the partnerships entered into by the head of State serving to burden Kenyans with heavy taxes that have doubled the cost of living.
Dr Juma views the hefty debts as a price that comes with undertaking major projects, saying, "There is no way to attract investment without using money. What is important is what is the debt being used for?"
