Ruto’s demo headache as national crises spiral

What started as protests against fuel prices is now spiralling into a national threat even as the country heads to the June 24 anniversary of the anti-tax protests.

The protests, initially sparked by rising fuel prices and the high cost of living, have persisted in parts of the Central region even after the government moved to address some of the contested measures.

Transport sector stakeholders last week called off their suspended strike after talks with President William Ruto.

However, transport operators, especially in Embu, Thika and Nyahururu, have continued sporadic demonstrations, causing paralysis days after the truce with matatu operators.

Before calling off their strike, the operators brought the country to a standstill for two straight days, resulting in huge economic losses.

The growing unrest now presents a fresh headache for the Kenya Kwanza administration, which has been struggling to contain public anger over taxes, unemployment and rising commodity prices.

Already, the opposition has called for total rejection of the Finance Bill 2026 and are whipping up public emotions against the revenue-raising measures proposed by the government.

On Sunday, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, citing a provision not contained in the Finance Bill 2026, claimed the Bill will affect Kenyans who inherited land from their forefathers as well as communities holding ancestral land.

“So, now your grandchildren will be paying rent because leasehold means you pay rent. This is what this administration is trying to introduce; so we are saying reject, reject, reject,” Kalonzo said.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John  Mbadi has disowned the clause cited by Kalonzo, accusing the opposition of knowingly advancing falsehoods to incite Kenyans against the administration.

“To me, it’s irresponsible for a leader of such a stature to propagate propaganda because I know he knows that is lying. That is irresponsible politics,” Mbadi said.

The political temperature is further expected to rise in the coming weeks as opposition leaders prepare nationwide events to commemorate young Kenyans, popularly referred to as Gen Z protesters, who lost their lives during last year’s anti-tax demonstrations.

“Next month, we shall have the anniversary of over 100 brave youths who were killed by this administration,” Musyoka stated on Sunday,

The planned events are likely to pile more pressure on the government at a time when the country is already witnessing heightened political tension.

What is emerging, observers say, is a slow but expanding anti-Ruto wave driven less by traditional opposition politics and more by the everyday economic struggles facing ordinary Kenyans.

“The economic situation will give him a lot of problems. If the anger is not managed, it will give him a difficult time in his reelection bid,” political analyst Martin Andati said.

“There is a lot of hostility. People are being extreme because they have been pushed to the wall. He (President) needs to address the issues in a way that convinces people,” he added.

For the pundit, the anger stems from perceived lopsided priorities.

“You can’t speak to people about houses when they are hungry. He needs to listen more and get out of the rooftop of vehicles,” Andati explained.

Maseno University don Charles Nyambuga observed that, “The feeling among the populace is that they are neglected. The President has to really reinvent himself as far as his messaging is concerned. He has to repackage himself as the candidate of tomorrow.”

The danger for the President is that many of the issues now threatening his political standing are the same ones he successfully used against former President Uhuru Kenyatta during the 2022 campaigns.

Fuel prices, which formed a major pillar of Ruto’s campaign messaging against the previous administration, have now become one of the biggest pressure points for his government.

The recent fuel crisis exposed the administration’s vulnerability, triggering public outrage from households, transport operators and businesses already grappling with the high cost of living.

With fuel prices affecting transport, food distribution, electricity generation and production costs, economists warn the impact is likely to spread across the economy in the coming months.

Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu warned that the ripple effects of the increases could worsen economic pain for millions of Kenyans.

“The entire economy will be affected by these fuel price hikes. Fuel prices affect every sector of the economy. The effects must be looked at in entirety,” Mulu said.

The sensitivity of the matter stems from the fact that Ruto heavily campaigned on promises to lower the cost of living and ease pressure on struggling households.

“He promised that there would be no borrowing in three years, but now the budget deficit is almost 70 per cent. People will chase him away in 2027, just as much as he can survive now,” Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru alias Mejjadonk said.

At the height of the 2022 campaigns, Kenya Kwanza repeatedly accused the Uhuru administration of overtaxing Kenyans and presiding over runaway fuel costs.

Now, with his government caught between stabilising prices and meeting revenue targets, Ruto is facing the same political heat he once weaponised against his predecessor.

“The shoe is on the left foot,” PNU leader and former Meru Governor Peter Munya said.

Political analysts say the administration’s room for manoeuvre is being narrowed by the country’s worsening debt burden and shrinking fiscal space.

Treasury estimates show that nearly Sh2.3 trillion will be spent on debt repayment in the next financial year, almost half of the projected Sh4.8 trillion budget.

The heavy debt obligations have left the government with limited options to cushion citizens from economic shocks without increasing taxes or borrowing further.

But after months of public resistance to new levies and taxes, the political environment has become increasingly hostile to additional taxation measures.

That pressure is likely to intensify as Parliament considers the Finance Bill, 2026, amid mounting public frustration over the cost of living.

Makueni MP Daniel Maanzo said the government was increasingly appearing disconnected from the realities facing ordinary citizens.

“Ruto has messed himself up. Kenyans are not happy, especially with the show of a lack of concern. The government is living large, yet the citizens are suffering,” Maanzo said.

“They have to cut the budget for his office and that of his deputy’s,” the Senator told the Star on the phone.

For many Kenyans, perceptions of government extravagance have compounded frustrations over economic hardship.

The challenge for Ruto is further complicated by growing fears over possible climate disruptions later this year.

Climate experts have warned that the country could experience the El Niño phenomenon towards the end of the year.

The situation has raised concerns over potential crop destruction, flooding and poor harvests.

Should food production decline significantly, the country could face rising prices of basic commodities heading into the politically sensitive pre-election period.

Combined with high fuel prices and tax fatigue, any major increase in the cost of food could deepen anti-government sentiment across both urban and rural areas.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

What started as protests against fuel prices is now spiralling into a national threat, even as the country heads to the June 24 anniversary of the anti-tax protests.