Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance Presidential Candidate on Monday, June 7, 2022, launched his manifesto for the country in case he won the August polls.
The 10-point master plan focused on key areas including agriculture, ICT, manufacturing, education, healthcare, devolution, leadership and the people.
Minutes after the launch, Kenyans took focus on manufacturing after the former Prime Minister hinted that his administration would phase out second-hand clothes (mitumba) businesses in the country in place of locally manufactured clothes.
“When they brought mitumba, it killed our textile industry. Our people are only wearing clothes coming from outside the country, that have been worn by people who are dead. We will ensure that those who are importing mitumba get the first hand to market goods that are manufactured in this country,” Raila said.
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The textile promise which is anchored in the manufacturing docket, according to the manifesto, will be complemented by agriculture, livestock, the blue economy, and ICT as the key engines for the envisaged economic revolution and the apparatus for development.
“These sectors shall jump-start and turnaround the economy. Global manufacturing technologies are fast changing. This provides an opportunity to invest in emerging technologies which will provide employment opportunities to Kenya’s young population, such as micro-chips which are already manufactured in Kenya. The manufacturing sector shall produce input materials like steel, copper, and glass for further processing into finished products, and secondary production of goods like engineering manufacturing machinery, transport and agricultural machinery, tools and implements to be applied in the mechanization and automation of agriculture, livestock, blue economy, mining and processing,” the manifesto reads in part.
“Manufacturing complemented by agriculture, livestock, the blue economy and ICT shall also spur and accelerate economic activities including entrepreneurship, economic growth and sustainable development to create decent and well-paying job opportunities. The manufacturing sector will in turn be spurred by education and knowledge; ICT, research-led technological revolution; efficiency in resource allocation; availability of affordable fuel, energy, transportation and raw materials; innovative financing and investment; along with revitalized foreign trade and economic diplomacy,” added Raila.
Raila also promised that his administration would have zero tolerance to corruption, address the high cost of living of all Kenyans, give free education for all, universal quality healthcare for all, food security, safety and nutrition for all.
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