Raila Odinga, leader of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition, has accused President William Ruto’s government of failing to keep campaign promises.
Speaking at Jevanjee Gardens on Tuesday afternoon, the Azimio chief claimed that the Kenya Kwanza government had duped Kenyans with “unachievable promises,” adding that the country was already suffering the consequences of poor leadership.
The Azimio leader dismissed the reduction of fertilizer prices as a ploy by the state to siphon off public funds.
He contended that the recently imported fertiliser was donated free of charge and thus the government should not mislead Kenyans into believing that prices had been reduced.
“They said they would lower the fertiliser prices. Sasa wamepewa na Urusi mbolea bure, alafu wanaanza kusema ati wameteremsha bei ya mbolea hadi Ksh.3500. Nani wamelipwa hio Ksh.3500? Si ni hao wenyewe?” he posed.
“Fertiliser ambayo ilikuja ni ya mwaka ujao. Season ya kupanda itakuja mwaka ujao. Ukitumia hio mbolea, gharama ya kupanda ambayo itashuka ni ya 2023. Mpaka tuwe na mbinu za kuteremsha bei ya maisha wakati huu,” he added.
Odinga also blamed the government, citing the country’s high food and fuel prices.
“I know Kenyans are suffering in pain. During campaigns, their promises were many; tutapunguza unga kutioka 200 hadi shilingi 70. Lakini bei imeenda juu na bei ya mafuta inaenda juu.They promised Huslter fund, ile ya kina mama inaonekana?” Odinga posed as the crowd disagreed.
“They said they needed only 100 days na sisi tumekaa kando tuwapee nafasi tuone yale ambayo watafanya. Mimi nimekaa si kwa sababu nimeridhika, hapana, ni kwa sababu nimeona maovu yanaongoza sasa na ukweli umerudi nyuma. Gharama ya unga, bei ya mafuta, kodi ya nyumba imepanda. Kila kitu kimepanda lakini mapato ya wananchi yamebaki pale pale.”
Odinga objected to the President Ruto-led administration on the directive to end fuel and Unga subsidies, claiming that the move had harmed Kenyans.
He defended former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s implementation of the subsidy program, noting that it was beneficial during a difficult economic period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukraine conflict.
“Every time they were blaming Uhuru but he was doing what other heads of state were doing worldwide. Uhuru protected Kenyans from the effects of the Russia and Ukraine wars. But now they have said that it is unsustainable, this week the price of fuel will go up again,” Raila said.
Raila added that President William Ruto had promised to lower the cost of fuel but instead it has gone up.
