Cornered by public fury: Ruto gears up for more political storms

Ruto gears up for more political storms [  File, Standard]

President William Ruto's should be prepared for a bigger headache even as he grapples to manage the anger of Kenyans over the high price of fuel.

Discontent is growing over punitive taxes that have been introduced in the 2026-2027 Finance Bill, even as young Kenyans prepare to mark the second aniversary of the 2024 Finance Bill protests in which over 60 Kenyans were killed. 

As the time clocks towards next year’s polls, political temperatures continue to rise across the country, presenting challenges that complicate President Ruto’s re-election bid.

At the center of the unfolding political storm is the fuel crisis, which has deepened public frustrations over the high cost of living and economic hardship facing ordinary Kenyans among them farmers, business people and the education sector.

Stakeholders who include Civil society coalition Okoa Uchumi, The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) and the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) maintain the bill would overtax the already burdened taxpayers.

The lobby groups want proposals such as taxing money transfers through platforms such as M-Pesa and PayPal, and the introduction of a withholding tax on bank card transactions, such as VISA cards, to be removed from the bill while calling for a five per cent reduction in Pay as You Earn (PAYE) across all bands, arguing that the move would help generate Sh210 billion annually and create an additional 3,600 jobs.

“Financial services are not subject to VAT because they are fundamentally intermediation services that facilitate the efficient flow of capital. VAT on these services undermines the core principle of VAT as a tax on final consumption,” said KBA Chief Executive Raymond Molenje.

Kenyans have been forced to walk to work after bus fare hikes by 100 per cent by the public transport stakeholders who have passed the burden of fuel increment to passengers.

Students who use kerosene to cook have faced hardships following an increase of Sh191.38 per liter, an increase of Sh38.60.

The glimmer of hope that Kenyans expected when President Ruto addressed the nation on Friday discouraged Kenyans after he announced that the diesel prices would only be reviewed with Sh10 in the next pricing cycle.

Many Kenyans have expressed dissatisfaction vowing to respond to the Kenya Kwanza administration’s failure to hear their cries at the ballot.

“As students we strongly feel the government has completely lost grip and does no longer care about the electorate, comrades are suffering because our parents’ purchasing power has been denied, we feel that we are on our own,” Moses Nyanduga a student leader form Jomo Kenyatta University of Technology (JKUAT) observed.

As disgruntled Kenyans continue to suffer, the introduction of the contentious Finance Bill 2026, which many citizens view as an additional burden on already struggling households and businesses, is yet another Ruto’s nightmare.

Already stakeholders have termed the bill ‘punitive’ vowing to rally Kenyans across the country to reject the bill in totality if the government fails to withdraw it.

Some of the contentious proposals that has raised alarm include an increase in excise duty on mobile phones, the introduction of a withholding tax on bank card transactions, such as VISA cards among others,

 As the Finance bill debate takes momentum across the social media platforms with users accusing Ruto’s administration of being insensitive to Kenyans, the country is gradually witnessing renewed mobilization of Gen-Z led protests aimed at commemorating young Kenyans who lost their lives during the 2024 demonstrations aimed at pushing the government to withdraw the Finance Bill 2024.

Political activists point to a tougher political moment for Ruto and pro-government supporters, they believe the anti-Finance bill campaigns coupled by the Gen-Z commemoration of protesters’ death compound the President’s re-election bid.

Simeon Ogunda, a governance expert says the Gen Z animversry will revive the paininful memories of young Kenyans who lost their lives under the hands of the police and also reignite conversations around governance, accountability, police brutality and economic justice.

“Kenyans will ask hard questions such as the status of the promise that the President pledged such as whether indeed the budget for First Lady and Second lady was scrapped at a time when the Auditor General records’ state otherwise, they will also scrutinize whether the government reduced foreign trips when we are told of private jets being hired at a cost of Sh3.2 million per hour,’ he noted.

To worsen Ruto’s matter over the Gen-Z protests, Linda Mwananchi leaders led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna committed to joining the protests for three days on June 24, 25 and 26 to coincide with the anniversary of Gen Z-led protests.

“June 25 is coming, and we all remember Gen Z's lost lives for this country. So as Linda Mwananchi, we are asking you on June 24, 25 and 26 to make this country ungovernable. And that has happened before,” Orengo told congregants.

He added that the faction would not relent in what he termed as a struggle to “liberate the country,” vowing resilience in the face of possible state pushback.

“We do not fear any prison; we do not fear death. We do not fear anything but fear itself,” he declared. “The hour has come and the hour is now. This is a one-term administration,” the governor said.

The growing unity within the United Opposition led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Kalonzo Musyoka and the Sifuna-Orengo Linda Mwananchi has also been cited as Ruto’s political concerns.

Both teams have assured their supporters that they will finally unite and front a single Presidential candidate to face Ruto in 2027 ‘in bid to defeat him by a margin of over five million votes’.

A united Opposition, Sifuna recently said presents a significant electoral threat, especially in regions that have traditionally been considered politically strategic.

 "I have said clearly that the formula to remove Ruto will require candid and serious negotiations and strategy because it will not be easy, he is an astute and veteran politician who also has followers," Sifuna said. 

In an interview with Spice fm last month, Sifuna maintained that both the Opposition teams must be focused to restore the country back to its values.

"Kenya doesn't have hardware problems, it is not about roads, markets and shiny things, it is about social justice, values, human rights, democracy, freedoms and rule of law. If Kenyans can agree with us that we can construct a stadium and still don't kill our youths, then we will have to build a frame of who to field as the Opposition candidate," he said. 

 The Senator maintained that if the Opposition was keen on unseating Ruto, they must not replace him with his replica saying his opponent should not have 'any resemblance'. 

 "I urge Kenyans to let us go through this process so that we can restore the country to the rails of values. In doing so whoever will be our flagbearer should not possess any resemblance with Ruto, even his nose should not resemble his, he said. 

Gachagua would later reiterate Sifuna’s remarks saying ‘We are working with Kalonzo, Fred Matiangi, Martha Karua, Eugene Wamalwa and our friends in the Linda Mwananchi who are James Orengo, Sifuna, George Natembeya among others, 2027 general election will be a replica of 2002 moment where Opposition united to produce Mwai Kibaki.

Equally critical will be the Ol Kalou by-election, which is shaping up as a major political litmus test. A defeat for UDA in the contest would reinforce fears within the ruling camp that the Mt Kenya region, once a key pillar of President Ruto’s support base, is steadily drifting away from his political fold.

 During the UDA nominations, only 8000 people turned up to participate in the exercise where Samuel Muchina emerged the winner after being voted with 3000 votes. Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) attracted over 20000 supporters who turned up for the exercise with Kamau Ngotho emerging the winner with over 12000 votes.

“Taken together, these developments are creating a defining political moment that may ultimately determine whether President Ruto consolidates his leadership ahead of the next election or faces an increasingly difficult path to securing a second term,” John Kamau, a political strategist noted.

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