President Ruto Outlines Gov’t Plan To Reduce Cost Of Living

Written by Inka FM on 5 January 2023

President Ruto said his priority is to first ensure that the country produces enough food that can enable it sustain itself.
To this end, the Head of State disclosed that his administration has been shipping in fertilizer and selling them to farmers so that they can embark on producing food.

President William Ruto has come out to address concerns from Kenyans over what his government plans to do in order to lower the cost of living which is currently soaring.

President Ruto, speaking during a roundtable interview with a host of journalists at State House on Wednesday, said his priority is to first ensure that the country produces enough food that can enable it sustain itself.

To this end, the Head of State disclosed that – since his assumption to office – his administration has been shipping in fertilizer and selling them to farmers so that they can embark on producing food.

“Niliambia Wakenya ya kwamba mambo ya gharama ya maisha kupanda, dawa yake ni kuhakikisha tunazalisha chakula ya kutosha. Hiyo ndio dawa kamilifu ya kuondoa tatizo ya gharama ya maisha. Tulipofanya uchaguzi Agosti 9, bei ya unga kwa mfano ilikuwa shilingi 230 kwa mfuko ya kilo mbili, hiyo ni rekodi ambayo haijawahi kufika, na iliwaathiri Wakenya wengi. Nilisema wakati huo kwamba tutashughulika na kupunguza gharama ya maisha,” he said.

“Jambo la kwanza nilifanya baada ya kuchukua usukani, kwa wale wakulima ambao wanalima ile inaitwa short rains, tuliagiza mifuko milioni moja na nusu ya mbolea ya kwanza ili kuwasaidia waweze kuzalisha chakula, na tukapunguza gharama ya hiyo mbolea kutoka shilingi elfu sita mpaka shilingi elfgu tatu na mia tano.”

The President also noted that the government is also planning to import food products that are currently in short supply across the country in order to bridge the gap.

He added that his administration further put down its foot and eliminated brokers who he said have for a long time been benefitting from government initiatives at the expense of the farmers themselves.

“Hatua ya pili ambayo nilichukua ni kupanga vile tunaweza kuagiza yale vyakula ambayo tuko nayo upungufu katika taifa letu, na kupiga breki ma-broker na cartel ambao walikuwa wanaongeza bei kila kukicha, na ndio sababu kutoka shilingi 230, unga sasa ni karibu Ksh.190 per 2kg bag. Nataka niwaeleze kwamba hii uchaguzi ingeenda kivingine, pengine saa hizi unga ingekuwa shilingi mia tatu,” said President Ruto.

The Head of State went on to reveal that he resolved to remove the subsidies that had been put in place by the previous administration as they were what he termed as mere political and campaign gimmicks.

According to President Ruto, the various subsidies were costing the taxpayers too much money and were not sustainable.

“Wakenya wengi wanashangaa mbona mimi niliondoa ile subsidy ilikuwa kwa mambo ya kawi…ile uamuzi wa kuweka subsidy ilikuwa wa kisiasa, wa kutafuta kura…haikuwa ni uamuzi wa kiuchumi,” he stated.

“Ile subsidy ya unga ilianguka kwa sababu ilikuwa inatugharimu bilioni nane kila mwezi, subsidy ya fuel ilikuwa ilikuwa inatugharimu bilioni 16 kila mwezi, subsidy ya stima ilikuwa inatugharimu karibu bilioni tatu kila mwezi…ukiongeza hizo subsidy zote ni karibu bilioni 15 kwa mwezi, na bilioni mia tatu kwa mwaka. Na hiyo pesa yote si eti tuko nayo, ni pesa ya kukopa.”