Raila now accuses President Ruto of 'lying' to Kenyans

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party leader Raila Odinga is now accusing President William Ruto’s government of failing to honour promises made during their campaigns.

Speaking at Jevanjee Gardens on Tuesday afternoon, the Azimio chief claimed that the Kenya Kwanza government had hoodwinked Kenyans with 'unachievable promises', adding that the country was already feeling the pain of bad leadership.

Odinga blamed the government as he cited the high food and fuel prices in the country.

“I know Kenyans are suffering in pain. During campaigns, their promises were many; tutapunguza unga kutioka 200 hadi shilingi 70. Lakini bei imeenda juu na bei ya mafuta inaenda juu.They promised Huslter fund, ile ya kina mama inaonekana?” Odinga posed as the crowd disagreed.

“They said they needed only 100 days na sisi tumekaa kando tuwapee nafasi tuone yale ambayo watafanya. Mimi nimekaa si kwa sababu nimeridhika, hapana, ni kwa sababu nimeona maovu yanaongoza sasa na ukweli umerudi nyuma. Gharama ya unga, bei ya mafuta, kodi ya nyumba imepanda. Kila kitu kimepanda lakini mapato ya wananchi yamebaki pale pale.”

The former premier went forth to accuse the current leadership of being egocentric saying they were side-lining some of the voters in the opposition in their delivery of services.

“Ni watu ambao hawana maslahi ya wananchi kwa roho yao. Ni watu ambao kazi yao ni kujinufaisha wao wenyewe. Juzi niliona yule naibu wa rais akisema sasa ni wakati wetu wa kukula. Wale ambao hawakutupigia kura wakae kando,” he said, adding: “Ata wale ambao hawakupiga kura wanatoa ushuru.”

At the same time, the Azimio leader laughed off the reduction of fertiliser prices terming it a ploy by the State to loot public funds. 

He argued that the recently imported fertiliser was donated free of charge and thus the government shouldn’t deceive Kenyans that they reduced prices.

Odinga said: “They said they would lower the fertiliser prices. Sasa wamepewa na Urusi mbolea bure, alafu wanaanza kusema ati wameteremsha bei ya mbolea hadi Ksh.3500. Nani wamelipwa hio Ksh.3500? Si ni hao wenyewe?"

"Fertiliser ambayo ilikuja ni ya  mwaka ujao. Season ya kupanda itakuja mwaka ujao. Ukitumia hio mbolea, gharama ya kupanda ambayo itashuka ni ya 2023. Mpaka tuwe na mbinu za kuteremsha bei ya maisha wakati huu," he added.

Regarding the directive on lifting fuel and Unga subsidies, Odinga differed with the President Ruto-led administration saying the move had gravely affected Kenyans.

He defended former president Uhuru Kenyatta’s introduction of the subsidy programme noting that it had helped in a tough economic era brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukraine conflict.

“Uhuru was doing what other nations were doing across the world, due to COVID, a lot of countries introduced subsidies to cushion Kenyans from the high prices. This government imesema its unsustainable," he said.

"We want the cost of living to go down. Baada ya dhiki ni faranja. Msikufe moyo, mimi sijakufaa moyo."