The Kenya National Civil Society Centre has urged the government to focus on the pressing needs of the poor and vulnerable in society that have been most affected by the unbearable economic situation.
Executive director Suba Churchill said the government is already derailed by the opposition and has resorted to underhand tactics for its political survival at the expense of suffering Kenyans.
“Contrary to Kenya Kwanza’s often repeated statements and bravado that it wouldn’t be distracted by the opposition, there are tell-tale signs all over the place that it has been distracted from issues affecting Kenyans,” he said.
He said that KNCSC is concerned that while the president has accused those in the opposition of attempting to undermine the free will of the people during the tallying of the presidential vote, his continued luring of MPs elected on opposition party tickets, equally undermines the free will of the people that elected them on opposition party tickets.
“KNCSC wishes to remind the President that he rode to power on the crest of unrelenting food prices that had been on an upward trend from April 2022 (12.15 per cent) before jumping up to 15.5 per cent in September 2022 and peaking at 15.8 per cent, in October 2022, the highest recorded in the year,” he said.
He said that while the inflation rate eased marginally and the fact that the Consumer Price Index increased from 128.99 points in December 2022 to 129.29 points in January means that the effects of price variations on the purchase cost of products went up, eroding any gains that may have been made on the reduced inflation.
Churchill said that these gains were made at a period when the political environment had eased a little, with the opposition giving the government the traditional 100 days grace period to constitute itself and demonstrate that it can deliver on its immediate priorities.
"The first 100 days in office are significant for new leadership, giving an indication of a president's management style, priorities and speed in implementing campaign promises," he said.
Churchill said that allocations for development projects that would have created employment opportunities have drastically reduced in the Supplementary Budget for the 2022/23 financial year.
