By James Wafula in Nairobi
It may have taken Kenya President William Ruto a whole seven months since his election to appreciate the enormity of rising costs of living facing millions of Kenyans unable to put food on the table. The high cost of living has become a mobilization tool for President Ruto’s bitter rival in the August 9 2022 Presidential election Raila Odinga has been trumping up the issue of the cost of living to whip up a North Africanstyle spring revolution witnessed 2014-2016. But even as Ruto battles the high cost of living nightmare, Odinga has moved to the ICC, Hague where a case has been filed against “Ruto’s policemen” accused of shooting and killing five Kenyans and injuring scores whose “only crime was to participate in peaceful demonstrations”.
The move by Odinga to ICC could see the opening of old wounds as Ruto’s case against abuse of humanity over the 2007-2008 post election chaos that killed 1350 people and displaced 650,000 is still open at the Hague.. The ICC case against President Ruto collapsed over lack of evidence in 2016 when witnesses recanted video evidence, while that of his then comrade in arms President Uhuru Kenyatta also collapsed earlier in 2014. Both men had been indicted as “most responsible’ for the financing, organizing and co-ordinating attacks by mobs on then opposed sides PNU of President Mwai Kibaki (rip) and Raila (ODM).
ODM had rejected presidential results of 2007 as rigged to favour Kibaki by a compromised electoral commission. Then Chairman of the Election Commission Mr Samuel Kivuiti has long gone to his By James Wafula in Nairobi President Ruto counters Raila’s Unga revolution President William Ruto and his deputy Mr Rigathi Gachagua maker. Although many have reservations on how successful Raila’s fresh quest for power will be, many have warned Ruto that a “hungry man is an angry man”! This has seen the president move swiftly to counter Raila’s “unga revolution”.
President Ruto announced Friday April 14, 2023 that tonnes of imported maize are already in the country and prices are expected to fall next week. The President said there were enough imported stocks of maize to drastically bring the price of unga down. Maize flour is the country’s staple food. Many watchers say this will automatically deny Odinga a chance to whip up public euphoria or “unga revolution” if prices fall as is expected. The maize has reportedly come from Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda. A packet of 2 kilogramme maize is expected to fall to at least Kshs 100 from Kshs 180.
President Ruto for the first time appeared to relent over his decision to withdraw government subsidy on maize flour and fuel which had the immediate effect of triggering runaway inflation as the shilling crashed against the dollar and regional currencies. The narrative appears to have changed as President Ruto had previously urged Kenyans to bear with the high cost at least for a year as he distributed fertilizers at grossly reduced prices.
But he had been reminded that planting and harvesting maize takes up to 4 months, what did he expect Kenyans to eat during this window period! Kenya is facing its worst financial crisis ever as for the first time since independence in 1963, the government has not been able to pay civil servants, ministers, MPs, and 48 devolved governments bloated staff for the month of March some since Janaury. The government owes suppliers up to Kshs 9 billion while having an external debt it is servicing of Kshs 8 trillion blamed on the administration of retired president Uhuru Kenyatta. Matters are not helped by the decision of President Ruto to appoint 50 chief administrative Officers (CAS) further creating a massive public service wage burden.
Activists have challenged this appointment and moved to court. Upon his swearing in as Kenya’s 5th president September 13 2022 witnessed by 20 African heads of state who included Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, President Ruto directed the Treasury to slash the public wage bill by Kshs 300 billion. This saw many costs slashed which included foreign visits by ministers and county governments, mileage and seating allowance for MPs, and new job appointments or promotions frozen in the public service. But this was widely contradicted by the emergence of 50 CAS whose bloated salaries and allowances will chalk up to Kshs 800 million per month!
Having failed to pay the civil servants and county governments the trickle down effect is causing a general economic nightmare! State bureaucrats used to huge pay and allowances and who also have private business and owe employees salaries, are staring at disaster! The general situation on the ground is a liquidity crisis occasioned by the unprecedented financial meltdown! Despite the president exuding confidence that the situation is under control, the opposition Azmio is painting a very bleak picture! Opposition front runners are warning that the Nairobi economy might be on its way to total collapse! Especially if the current political impasse persists. Economic hardships are likely to worsen if Azmio resumes street protests after Ramathan month of fasting. Odinga has warned of resumption of mass action to go concurrently with mediation talks in parliament.
Kenya President Dr. William Ruto at National function
Many businesses were paralyzed by the two weeks of chaotic mass action that saw mobs vandalize shops and steal merchandise. Five people were reported shot dead by police and many injured and hospitalized. Other traders were unable to open due to fear of looters yet have daily expenses to service including rent, power, water, and salaries. The bleak economic future has taken a turn for the worst following travel advisories by western EU nations and the US warning its citizens to keep off Nairobi. Tourists who were flocking to Mombasa over the Easter season cancelled their trips and re-routed to Dar and Kampala denying the country critical foreign income from its world famous Indian ocean beach hotels and the Maasai Mara game reserves. Tourism is Kenya’s number one foreign exchange earner. World famous ocean beach luxury hotels in Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu are almost shutting down for lack of tourists. Donors and multi-lateral lenders are warning Nairobi to stop the electioneering chaos and start addressing the economy which suffered a major nationwide covid 19 nationwide lock-down 2020-2021, or prepare for the worst. Meanwhile neighbours are reaping big with both Tanzania and Uganda currencies gaining against the Kenya shilling. Whether President Ruto will relent and agree to share power with Odinga as Azmio is demanding remains to be seen.
Raila insists he won the poll but the “loser” was sworn in his victory upheld by the Supreme court! Azmio is demanding that the main election server containing the raw data of presidential results be subjected to public scrutiny through a forensic audit but Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagau have roundly rejected this urging Azmio to talk to IEBC whose chairman Wafula Chebukati and
