The outgoing Head of State, Uhuru Kenyatta has thanked Kenyans for the support they accorded his administration in the last 10 years.
Kenyatta said that the significant progress which his country was able to achieve in the past decade was as a result of the support he received from Kenyan citizens.
“I most sincerely thank all Kenyans for their extraordinary support to me, which made and continues to make significant contributions towards the prosperity of our nation.
“I thank everyone who has walked the talk with me and especially you the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF),” President Kenyatta said.
Accompanied by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, he spoke on Friday at Lang’ata Barracks in Nairobi during a farewell ceremony hosted in his honour as the outgoing Commander-in-Chief in line with the traditions and custom of his country.
The Head of State urged the KDF to remain steadfast and support the incoming administration, just like they supported his administration and that of his predecessors.
“As we depend on God to protect our beloved country, we all look upon you to implement this prayer by defending our territorial integrity and sovereignty by always being mission ready,” he said.
Noting that the past decade marked a critical stage in the implementation of devolution under the new Constitution 2010, the President expressed satisfaction that Kenya attained significant socio-economic and political development as well as an enhanced democracy.
“Our nation continues to be a beacon of peace in the region. The stability and peaceful environment have enabled meaningful developments across the country. To this end, I must note that government institutions collectively undertook various roles to ensure service delivery,” he highlighted.
Kenyatta emphasized that the cooperation among ministries, departments and agencies in a “Whole of Government Approach” is vital in safeguarding the country’s unity.
He singled out, for special appreciation, the multi-agency engagement and efforts that ensured the country’s security and regional stability.
“The Defence Force’s counterterrorism efforts together with other security agencies continue to be crucial in ensuring our national security,” he pointed out.
Throughout his administration, Kenyatta recognized that investing in the capabilities of national security agencies was critical in enabling them to effectively undertake their constitutional mandate.
