Fuel crisis put on back burner as Ruto campaign takes centre stage

President Ruto during the issuance of title deeds to beneficiaries in Kwale, Kilifi and Taita Taveta at Mama Ngina drive in Mombasa, on May 21, 2026. [PCS]

Kenyans hoping for a concrete solution to the ongoing economic crisis worsened by the fuel mess that has ushered in recession may have to wait a little longer for help as President William Ruto, his officials and entities charged with the responsibility of protecting Kenyans turn their backs on their plight.

To the president and his cronies, normalcy has returned and the fuel crisis is now water under the bridge and the least of their concerns, if their latest statements in public engagements at the height of the crisis are anything to judge from.

As a torrent of criticisms continues to face his administration’s handling of the economy, the president has retreated back to his normal playbook of early campaigns and a diversionary tactic pegged on incessant attacks on the opposition and political promises.

For a father who has just returned home after a tumultuous period that left at least six Kenyans murdered in cold blood by police officers cracking down on those protesting against high fuel prices, critics believe the president's loud silence is baffling and a show of incompetence.

"The buck stops at the State House. That is what President Harry Truman would say in times such as now. President Ruto should modify the plaque on his door by adding the words, "The buck stops here." What do the Governors have to do with it? Parliament? There is no Parliament in Kenya today," said Barack Muluka, political analyst. 

Observers believe the government appears clueless and the response is already descending into a disarray of self-inflicted errors and a charade of lies, with some describing the temporary relief that has halted the strike as the calm before the storm.

While some claim the president and his ministers are in a dilemma on how to calm the storms and raise funds to help fund his ambitious projects and settle loans, others believe the group is portraying a new level of administrative incompetence.

Early this week, the government announced a reduction of the prices of diesel by Sh10 while simultaneously increasing the price of kerosene by Sh38 to help bridge the gap after a strike by matatu operators had threatened to bring the economy to its knees.

But the president appears unbothered and the fuel crisis is not a priority just yet. On Thursday, hours after the president had landed back in the country after a luxurious trip outside the country, focus quickly enveloped into his re-election campaigns as he landed in Mombasa.

Interestingly, despite repeated concerns by Kenyans over the state of the economy and the fuel crisis that halted operations in the country this week, none of the speakers, including the president and his deputy Kithure Kindiki, Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi, addressed the issue, instead focusing their messaging around Ruto’s re-election.

After briefly detailing a series of projects his administration is pursuing at the Coast, including the planned issuance of title deeds to squatters in Kwale, the mood quickly morphed into criticisms against the opposition.

“Let every leader be measured based on their track record…I will defeat them (opposition) very early in the morning,” said Ruto. He described the opposition as distractors, lacking an agenda and a grouping that lacks a credible track record.

However, despite his spirited speech, the president continued with his tactic of keeping mum over the fuel crisis as he rallied residents to back his administration.

His demeanour casts a stark contrast to the man who once spoke firmly on the importance of fuel and why there was an urgent need to lower the prices of fuel during former president Uhuru Kenyatta’s term. The man who mocked former president Uhuru Kenyatta’s handling of the fuel issue during a similar crisis now risks living it, albeit with worse impacts on households than during the Jubilee regime. The response, however, is silence and apathy. 

It is this tactic that his close circles have also adopted, as well as the leaders of the key government institutions, such as the National Assembly and the Senate.

Within the National Assembly, there is no blizzard in legislation to save Kenyans as MPs also shift their focus on drumming up support for the president’s re-election.

Save for the few ODM leaders allied to the Linda Mwananchi faction and members of the United Opposition, nearly all leaders allied to the president have turned their backs on the suffering of Kenyans.

Here, the silence of Speaker Moses Wetangula is loud, unlike the past when he was at the forefront in recalling MPs from recess to address issues, which they deem important to the Executive.

"There are also questions around oil procurement arrangements, particularly the government-to-government (G2G) deals, whether they are truly the best approach. I am surprised by the silence from leaders on these issues; perhaps they feel overwhelmed by global economic forces. But these are exactly the situations they were elected to handle.

Leadership is expected to confront both internal and external shocks, yet there seems to be hesitation in addressing the structural problems affecting fuel pricing and supply,” argues Prof XN Iraki, a researcher at the University of Nairobi.

When they were appointed to the Cabinet after being seconded by the ODM party, many were waiting to see how Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi and his Treasury counterpart would help the president steady his ship.

Their profiles were huge and had been touted as some of the greatest thinktanks in the late ODM leader Raila Odinga’s circle, whose entry to the Cabinet was the missing piece in the quest to help the president restore order in his administration.

However, their handling of the ongoing crisis has exposed them as they retreat to intense politics instead of offering concrete solutions. This perhaps explains why Wandayi’s speech in Mombasa brushed the issues on electricity before he went full throttle on campaigns for Ruto’s re-election, failing to utter even a single line of hope to suffering Kenyans forced to contend with monstrous fuel prices and adulterated fuel.

“I want to assure you that all of us and Raila’s supporters have decided to walk with you up to the last moment and will vote for you,” said Wandayi.

After striking a deal with Matatu owners that saw operators suspend a strike that had the prospects of going out of control, the president and his cronies have returned to normal.

According to an insider privy to the government’s response, the president’s operatives are struggling to craft a proper strategy to caution Kenyans against the high fuel prices.

“Options are limited and it is not possible to reduce the price of fuel further than that. It is not easy to balance the books because some of the taxes that have been imposed on fuel are crucial to the maintenance of roads as well as offsetting the country’s huge debts,” said the source.

The situation has brought focus on Mbadi and Wandayi, who joined the government to help steady the ship but are not promising, as their catastrophic response to the fuel crisis lifts the lid on claims of expertise. Mbadi, instead, is on a campaign trail for Ruto and has started a supremacy battle in ODM.

Similarly, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has also remained largely silent, despite expectations, instead using his appearances to play blame games.

Yesterday in Mombasa, his speech was brief and was only centred on heaping praises on President Ruto. They were accompanied by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, under whose leadership, the plight of Kenyans has taken a back seat as he vouches for his own political survival.

"Mine is to thank you because you have delivered the promises you gave to Coastal residents," said Kindiki while rallying residents to back their quest for a second term.

Joseph Mukuna Simekha, a political strategist, argues that both the National Assembly and the Senate have been captured by the Executive and cannot help Kenyan during this crisis.

"Parliament, meaning both the National Assembly and Senate, was effectively captured years ago and has largely become subordinate to the executive. Because of that, I do not think we should expect them to meaningfully help Kenyans out of this economic situation or the cartel-like bottlenecks affecting the sector,” said Simekha.

Communication researcher Prof Charles Nyambuga also contends that key players in the country have failed Kenyans in addressing the economic turmoil brought by the ballooning fuel prices.

“The government policies are certainly not right. I understand that some of these policies were inherited, such as the taxation regime within the oil sector. But the current administration is in charge, and therefore, they take the blame. There is over-taxation on petroleum products, and this is not the case in our neighbouring countries, which is why they are not facing the same challenges as we are. Kenyans are simply overtaxed, and that is where the problem lies. The buck stops with the finance minister, who is in charge of taxation, not even the energy minister. The National Assembly, the Senate, and the Council of Governors are also not faring well in serving Kenyans in this crisis. In fact, the National Assembly has failed to do its part," said Nyambuga.

In Kisumu County, Joseph Juma, a boda boda rider from Nyalenda, questioned the government’s approach to managing fuel prices, saying the situation remains difficult despite repeated adjustments. “They keep announcing new fuel prices, but for those of us who depend on fuel every day, the situation is still the same. You start asking whether the government is really doing enough to stabilise the prices,” she said.

Another resident, Ezekiel Otieno, expressed frustration over what he termed as inconsistent policy responses, saying the frequent changes have not brought relief. “Every month, there are new adjustments, but wananchi are still suffering. Fuel is still expensive, and the government needs to come up with lasting solutions instead of short-term fixes. Whether CS for energy should handle this crisis or step aside for other experts, the last time they told us that they have done 14% VAT reduction, which we see is not reflecting positively on our end. "