'Tighten your belts...' President Ruto's Ksh.425,000 belt shocks Kenyans

The President, who has lately faced criticism for introducing tax laws which have stifled Kenyans financially, was addressing churchgoers when keen fashion police noticed that he was rocking the pricey matted crocodile leather belt with a gold buckle emblazoned 'SR'.

Several top fashion magazines across the world, including GQ and Vogue, have singled out the Stefano Ricci crocodile belt as one of the best and most expensive belts in the fashion world.

The president's belt, at a time when the government keeps asking Kenyans to tighten their belts and brace for worse days ahead, stirred the internet with many not believing their eyes that a belt can cost that much and a president supposedly championing austerity measures to save costs can step out in public wearing one.

This is not the first time the president's fashion sense has turned heads and set tongues wagging. On September 3, Ruto's Ksh.15,000 shoe stepped on many toes.

Dr Ruto's Run Star Hike Converse sneakers during the Youth Africa Climate Change Summit at KICC, Nairobi also had Kenyans talking.

On the official Converse website, the shoes fetch a cool $110 (approx. Ksh 15,000).

Ruto, whose style lately has been featuring a heavy dose of fitting Kaunda suits, was recently spotted wearing expensive Salvatore Ferragamo loafers while on a trip to Kampala, Uganda.

While commenting on the expensive belt, social commentator and columnist Gabriel Oguda said, "The President of the Republic of Kenya went to church today to tell Kenyans sleeping hungry to tighten their belts, while wearing a designer belt worth half a million Kenya shillings. You can't make this stuff up!"

Another user said, "President William Ruto Kshs 450,000 belt shocks Kenyans. This is literally seeing your chamaa treasurer living large and he's asked for your patience. The cost of that belt can change someone's life..I wonder how the president is comfortable with that costly belt considering the state of the economy we are in... Anyway si mlisema tuanzie hapa chini tukiendaga up, yaani bottom up, salaaale... "

Back to the church event, the president said he will implement all the recommendations from the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), tabled by the ruling Kenya Kwanza and opposition Azimio la Umoja coalitions.

He also advocated for not just a 30% but a 50% reduction in government spending, urging leaders to live within their means for Kenya's progress.

"They have given recommendations all those recommendations are okay. Where they said we lessen Government spending by 50%, I have done that already. Those calling for lessening to be done by 30%, I suggest that they increase it to 50% for Kenya to move forward. We must learn to live within our means,” he added.