Dennis Itumbi: On This, I share your opinion.

ODINGA'S IMAGINARY STATISTICS IS THE WORK OF A MAGICIAN
Raila Odinga and his CORD are at it again with imaginary and wrong numbers.
A few weeks ago, they got it all wrong with the wages claiming it was 32 per cent when it was 52 per cent, amongst other wrong numbers.
It is an obvious fact that Cord and Odinga would want to paint a grim picture and desperate situation for Kenya for obvious reasons.
We understand as the Jubilee administration the desperation of Odinga and his brigade because ever since they left office, 13,000 primary schools all over the country have been connected to electricity.
1.7 million Kenyan households have also been connected to electricity enabling over 50% of our population enjoy stable supply of energy.
The Standard Gauge Railway, which Kenya has yearned for over a century, is 55% complete, quite ahead of schedule.
For the record only this month, the IMF published the World Economic Outlook, a public document available on Google and clearly contradicts statistics given today by Odinga (probably from Raila Odinga Centre (ROC).
The recent World Economic Outlook revised global growth forecasts downwards from 3.7% to 3.1%.
For sub Saharan Africa, the forecasts revised from 4.5% to 3.8%.
The Outlook shows that of the 44 sub Saharan African countries only seven were faster than Kenya. Two (Ivory Coast and DRC) recovering from conflict while Mozambique has natural resources.
The revision is attributed to the strength of the US economy and measures taken to deal with the shock. Kenya's growth is robust and is well above the sub Saharan African average.
Kenya's inflation rate is at 6 per cent, which remains below the average inflation rate for sub Saharan Africa, which is at 6.3 per cent.
We would like Odinga to quote the source of their imaginary statistics unless this statistics come from Roc, because the statistics from the IMF's World Economic Outlook, published five days ago, show that the country's listed by Odinga as growing:
Country. IMF (Outlook). % Odinga statistics
 Liberia 0.9. 10.4
 Niger. 4.3. 8
 Ghana. 3.5. 7.3
 Zambia. 4.3. 7.1
 Uganda. 5.2. 6.2
Like Liberia is growing at 0.9 per cent and not 10.4 per cent. Niger 4.3 per cent not 8 per cent, Ghana 3.5 not 7.3 per cent, Zambia 4.3 instead of 7.1 per cent, Uganda 5.2 per cent not 6.2 per cent.
(For avoidance of doubt it is on page 174 table A4, World Economic Outlook)
To manage interest rates the Government has taken a prudent and strategic decision to externalize our borrowing.
For the first time in the history of Kenya the Euro Bond raised Ksh238 billion at an average of 6.5 per cent as opposed to the local borrowing which would have been at an average of 13 per cent.
The National Treasury has clarified time and again that our national debt remains within sustainable limits.
This position is supported by several credible institutions. The Joint Debt Sustainability Analysis released last month by World Bank and IMF confirms this position, the SGR and Euro Bond having been taken into account.
No country can grow without debt to finance infrastructure development but it must be sustainable.
The expansion of road, rail, port and energy infrastructure is necessary to make our economy much more productive and competitive. That is what the Jubilee Administration is undertaking.
 The depreciation of the Kenya shilling against the US dollar is not a unique Kenyan phenomenon.
Changes in the US economy has global ramifications,causing the depreciation of all currencies worldwide..
For instance, over the same period, the Japanese Yen depreciated by 14.7%, while the Euro went down 22.6%. The Danish Kroner 22.7%, Nigerian Naira and Canadian dollar 24.4%, South African rand 29.8%, Uganda shilling 45.2%, Brazilian Real60% and the Turkish Lira 85.1%. The Kenyan Shilling depreciated by 22.1% over the same period.
The tragedy is the fact that CORD is manipulating and misinterpreting transparently available public data to alarm Kenyans for political reasons.
This politicization of economic affairs is unacceptable and irresponsible.
We can understand Odinga’s limitations, because of his limited role in the Grand Coalition Government and his poor attention to the requirements of effective leadership and government.
Even so, the Grand Coalition Government left town before the advent of Devolution. Jubilee seized the moment to accelerate empowerment of county governments in terms of mandates and resources.
As a result, counties are transforming the face of Kenya in beautiful ways which all Kenyans appreciate.
This is why the Okoa Kenya campaign flopped miserably, because it is based on outmoded thinking borrowed from Odinga’s stint in Government.
We believe in large-scale, institutional, strategic, policy-based and sustainable leadership, not PayBill drives and excited rhetoric.
No other government has done what the Jubilee Administration has done, and is doing to deal with corruption.
We have taken firm, concrete steps to subject public servants implicated, or suspected to be implicated in corruption to the due process of law.
We know that Odinga thrives in confusion and disunity amongst Kenyans.
His career is littered with the broken lives and dreams of many hapless Kenyans who trusted him, stood in his way or were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.
He is therefore unhappy with any steps taken to create unity and harmony in the country.


Authored by DENNIS ITUMBI.