By Chris David
President William Ruto on Wednesday received top United Democratic Movement (UDM) officials at the State House, Nairobi, during a session to enhance intra-coalition coordination and accelerate the Kenya Kwanza administration’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The UDM delegation, led by the Party Leader and Mandera Senator Ali Roba, engaged in far-reaching talks with the Head of State, a sign of the growing initiative by the government to enhance cohesion among Kenya Kwanza partners as the government enters a critical phase of its second year in office.
President Ruto called for sustained engagement among coalition members to revisit and remap the country’s development agenda, particularly in key sectors such as agriculture, health, housing, and infrastructure.
“The Kenya Kwanza Alliance was built on a shared vision and collective accountability. Regular consultations like today’s meeting with UDM help us track our progress and hold ourselves accountable to the people,” President Ruto observed, according to a statement from State House.
President Ruto praised the success of the coalition in various fields through the BETA program, highlighting the growth of affordable housing programs, the digitalization of health services through the newly established Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and ongoing investment in agro-industrial value chains in arid and semi-arid counties.
But the President also issued a firm warning against what he referred to as “regressive forces” which are attempting to overthrow national development using violent protests and political unrest.
“We will not allow the country’s energy to be wasted by retrogressive politics. Our goal is to engage with every leader and every party that believes in making Kenya a better country for all,” he added.
Senator Roba supported the President’s sentiments, reaffirming UDM’s unwavering commitment to the Kenya Kwanza agenda.
“UDM is a committed member of this partnership. We adopt the economic transformation strategy and will continue to do our part in delivering real change to our people,” said Roba following the meeting.
The summit comes at a time of increased political tension throughout the country, with the recent opposition protests bringing concerns about national unity and democratic stability.
By including coalition partners like UDM, the President is apparently keen to project a strong image of internal unity within Kenya Kwanza and reassure the population regarding government development policy.