NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 22- Azimio leaders have rejected any move to sell the country’s public entities as approved in the Privatization Bill 2023 by the Cabinet on Tuesday.
Although the Cabinet approved the Bill, it will be sent to the National Assembly and the Senate for approval where members will have an opportunity to vote.
Speaking during a press conference in Parliament, the leaders led by Minority leader Opiyo Wandayi, said they do not support President William Ruto’s decision.
“The change of law will give the National Treasury and cartels in government unchecked powers to sell institutions some of which are as old as the nation and were put up using taxpayer’s money,” Wandayi said, “we will not allow.”
“We wish to state categorically and emphatically that Azimio does not support that move by the Ruto administration. We want it to be recorded that when Kenya Kwanza decided to sell Sony Sugar Factory, Mumias Suga, Nzoia, Chemelil among others,” tehy said.
Senate Minority Whip Ledama Ole Kina and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna accused President Ruto of using dubious means to grab public land in disguise of privatization.
“William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua have the title deed of this country and they are slowly by slowly subdividing it, yet the title deed is owned by over forty-six thousand Kenyans. What these two are planning is to sell everything for a song so that they can own these properties and we have to say no,” said Ledama.
Sifuna echoed his sentiments and said, “We want the people of Western Kenya to know that this so-called privatization of the sugar mills has got nothing to do with revival of those industries; it is about the land held by those companies,” Sifuna said.
“William Ruto’s appetite for land is legendary and he has found a back door to grab public land that belongs to the communities in Western Kenya.”
The leaders were flanked by other legislators including Migori Senator Eddie Gicheru, Mombasa Senator Stewart Madzayo and their Vihiga counterpart Godfrey Osotsi.
The Cabinet approved the Privatization Bill 2023 yesterday, which gives the Treasury the authority to sell off publicly held companies without Parliamentary approval.
It contains legal and policy frameworks to oversee all privatizations in the country.
The sale of non-strategic, non-performing public entities, the Cabinet stated, will help improve the delivery of services to Kenyans.
“To support the state’s divestiture from non-strategic sectors of our national life, Cabinet approved the Privatization Bill,” the report from the Cabinet stated.
“The revised policy shift seeks to revitalize Kenya’s Capital Markets through the review of the framework for State divesture as part of a wider reform process targeting Public Enterprises.”
Privatization is also set to reduce demand for public resources and raise more money to support the government’s development program.
Last month, the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) called for the repeal of the Privatization Act 2005 to grant the government a clearer framework within which it will seamlessly run the privatization program.
The budget office said privatizing state-owned businesses might generate Sh30 billion in annual revenue.
