Kesses MP Julius Ruto (r) with his Eldama Ravine colleague Musa Sirma during a function at Kapkoiga in Uasin Gishu
Lawmakers allied to the government have defended the rise in fuel prices and told off the opposition over threats of protests.
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Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago said the hike in fuel prices was not caused by President William Ruto but was as result of the ongoing conflict between the USA and Iran.
He accused the opposition of scheming to take advantage of the global challenges on fuel to incite Kenyans and undermine the government.
Mandago spoke during a prize giving day at Kapkoiga Senior School in Uasin Gishu. He was with MPs Julius Ruto (Kesses) and Musa Sirma of Eldama Ravine.
They particularly accused opposition leaders Martha Karua and Rigathi Gachagua of perpetrating tribalism even on matters like the fuel crisis which are of global nature.
Sirma accused Karua of drawing unfair parallels by claiming that the fuel crisis and economic challenges experienced today are the same as those during President Daniel Moi's tenure.
Karua said Kenya’s current economic situation and the challenges experienced during the late former President Daniel arap Moi era are the same and that the country continues to grapple with high living costs and governance failures.
But Sirma and Mandago accused Karua of being tribal arguing that the same challenges bedevilled the country during her tenure as a minister in the regime of former President Mwai Kibaki.
“Karua and Gachagua should know that we are now the ones in power and we will not allow those in the opposition to incite Kenyans. If they want to talk about fuel crisis let them do so without mentioning Ruto or Moi,” Sirma said.
Ruto said the country’s economy was recovering under the Kenya Kwanza administration and that the fuel crisis would soon ease so that the cost of living comes down.
He said much of the country’s debts were caused by previous regimes of former presidents Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta leading to challenges that Ruto is working to sort out.
“President Ruto is struggling to fix challenges which were caused by his predecessors and the same opposition leaders were present that time but they did not talk the way they are doing now,” Ruto said.
The lawmakers said President Ruto will be reelected just like all his predecessors.
“Ruto is not going anywhere no matter how much they shout. The president has worked for all Kenyans including those who did not vote for him. He clearly deserves a second term,” Sirma said.
