By PPS
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President Mwai Kibaki has emphasized that the government will not discriminate against any Kenyan on the basis of religion. He said that Kenyans were peaceful people who should however not agree to be misused by people who were seeking to create instability in neighboring countries.
President Kibaki said that the government would continue to receive genuine refugees fleeing from Somalia but will not allow people with dubious credentials from that country into Kenya.
The President further explained that no Kenyan had been repatriated back to Somalia or denied entry to Kenya following the recent fighting that pitted Somali Government troops against fighters from the Islamic Courts Union.
President Kibaki said the government would continue to rigorously enforce immigration regulations to ensure that both Kenyans and foreigners adhered to them.
The President said Kenya was at the forefront in helping the people of Somalia and would continue to seek a peaceful resolution in the country that has experienced internal conflict for the last fifteen years.
President Kibaki was speaking at State House Nairobi when he addressed officials of the informal sector forum comprising of Jua Kali, hawkers, matatu vehicle operators and small-scale traders.
Emphasizing that this was not aimed at any section of the Kenyan community, President Kibaki criticized those who organized demonstrations to protest against the international travel requirements being enforced the world over.
“We shall continue to vet all those entering the country to ensure they are genuine. What sort of a government shall we be if we let in anyone in the country without ascertaining who they are?” he posed.
He pointed out that millions of Kenyans of Somali origins were enjoying equal rights like any other Kenyans adding the government would not disturb law-abiding citizens.
On the Informal sector, President Kibaki lauded the sector for being instrumental in the growth of the economy by providing thousands of jobs to the youth and being leading tax payers.
The President said the government was committed to delivering service to the people and invited wananchi to demand to be told how their taxes were being used. He said that the government would continue publishing and informing the public through Parliament on exactly how it spent its money.
He reiterated that due to the increased government revenue, 97 per cent of total government expenditure was sourced locally while 7 per cent from development partners. He noted that due to increased tax compliance government revenue had increased from 195 billion four years ago to 350 billion now.
“This is not the government money but the people’s money. All Kenyans have a right to know how their money is spent because governments do not have money of their own,” said President Kibaki.
President Kibaki encouraged the Jua Kali entrepreneurs to take advantage of the expanded East African Market and export their products to the region saying the inclusion of Rwanda and Burundi in the East African community had further enlarged the market.
Once again President Kibaki called on Kenyans to forge unity of purpose among themselves saying anyone with a genuine issue to raise should do so in a civil manner and not through abuses.
President Kibaki cautioned the Jua kali entrepreneurs against allowing quacks to spoil their businesses and singled out the medical field which he said must be properly regulated to ensure that only those licensed were allowed to practice.
Representatives of the forum who spoke commended President Kibaki and the Government for putting in place sound economic policies that had enabled their businesses to thrive and pledged to support the President to enable him to continue serving Kenyans.
Source: PPS, Feb 19, 2007