By James Wafula in Nairobi Kenya
President William Ruto faces a fresh onslaught from workers unions that are opposed to the new house tax of 3 percent on their payslip that has been imposed by the 2023 Finance bill in addition to what they say is failure to honour long standing collective bargaining agreement (CBOs).
Doctors, nurses and university lecturers have given a two week ultimatum adding to the widespread growing public discontent over the 2023-2024 budget that has imposed a 15 percent ,levy on petrol fueling immediate escalation of prices of almost everything but more so basic goods like food items and public transport. Riding on this public disenchantment with the 10 month Nairobi administration is opposition leader and runner up in the closely contested August 2022 presidential election is Azmio’s Raila Amolo Odinga.
Odinga who had warned President Ruto against accenting to the 2023 Finance bill he termed draconian and retrogressive, now wants Kenyans to come out in their thousands from July 7 dubbed saba saba to oppose the bill. A mammoth rally is planned in the historical Kamukunji grounds where Odinga, 78, a former prime minister has threatened to hold daily street protests until the bill is rescinded.
Odinga now claims President Ruto ignored a court order that had tried to stop implementation of the finance bill after the head of state had signed it into law. The court order canvassed by civil rights firebrand and Busia senator Okiya Omutata was roundly ignored by the Nairobi regime as the Energy authority went on to gazette new pump prices for fuel that are now in force. Owners of public transport have in response hiked fares across the board driving up costs of travel and food prices as many low income families battle to survive.
Low income Kenyans dubbed “hustlers” are staring at an economic nightmare that prime cabinet secretary Musalia Mudavadi says is necessary to revamp the heavily indebted economy. Mudavadi, 62, a former finance minister under the Moi regime says the economy will take at least two years to recover and that Kenyans should bear with the situation.
But angry Kenyans have termed this as “betrayal” saying the Kenya Kwanza coalition had in its manifesto promised to bring down the cost of living in the first 100 days! Mudavadi’s speech was slammed by Odinga running-mate M/S Martha Karau as preaching a “gospel of doom” saying what are Kenyans expected to eat as they wait for the two years! Odinga told a Kamukunji rally recently that what was going on in Nairobi was a regime that was rolling back gains of the multi-party crusade and introducing a “dictatorship” that is showing blatant impunity to the suffering masses. Odinga has rolled out a raft of measures that actually mirror the Uganda opposition leader Kizza Besigye style of civil disobedience that includes “walk to work”.
The strike notice from medics and lecturers many of whom supported the Azmio coalition is supposed to provide a critical impetus to Odinga’s perceived “unga revolution” calculated at kicking President Ruto out of state house! If he succeeds, it would be the first time that regime change in Nairobi has been forced on the country having witnessed peaceful transition since independence from colonial Britain in 1963.
Kenya was first ruled by Jomo Kenyatta (1963-78) who died in office (age estimated at 89) and was succeeded by his deputy Daniel arap Moi (1978- 2002) he too has since died February 2020 aged 95. He was succeeded by Mwai Kibaki (2002-2012, he too died last year 2022 aged 90. Jomo Kenyatta’s son Uhuru, 62, became the fourth president (2013-2022) serving his two term limit against bitter opposition from Odinga who would later become an ally and heir apparent in the 2022 elections. Uhuru is the only surviving former Kenyan president.
Compared to Uganda, all former presidents- Obote, Lule, Binaisa, Okello, and Muwanga have long gone to their maker leaving long ruling President Yoweri Museveni, 78, calling the shots. The gathering storm against President Ruto, who is still a youthful 57 compared to Odinga, could well complicate his first term and spoil his chances for re-election in 2027. Nothing appeals more to the public like protesting against high food prices and Odinga a five time presidential contender is milking this to the limit.
The adage that “a hungry man is an angry man” is the euphoria Odinga is determined to whip up in his bid to clinch the top office that has eluded him for 25 years. How successful he is will mainly be informed on whether he can outmaneurve the shrewd President Ruto who has honed Moi’s skills of divide and control dangling both the stick and the carrot! Ruto has been raiding Odinga strongholds and appointing his tribesmen to key positions including the army. This is seen as gradually eroding Odinga’s near fanatical clout in Luo Nyanza and other regions■
