The 1000 Days of President William Ruto

The 1000 Days of President William Ruto

Ruto came to power with a series of promises and presented himself as an advocate for the poor. Now, a very different picture emerges. He reneged on his promises, fueling discontent. Ruto played high stakes. He presented himself as a defender of the poor, claiming that the 2022 presidential elections would be a battle between rich and poor. He promised to create jobs – for millions of unemployed youth, prioritizing low-income earners. Kenyans nicknamed him Zakayo, Kasongo, El Chapo, and others, mocking him for his push for higher taxes and his unfulfilled promises. In the 2022/23 fiscal year – increase in the value-added tax on petroleum products from 8 percent to 16 percent. A 15 percent housing tax, a 2.7 percent levy on the Social Security Fund (SHIF), and an increase in deductions for the National Service Provision Fund (NSSF) drastically reduced workers' incomes. The 2024 Finance Bill ultimately led to massive youth protests across the country and forced the president to withdraw the bill. 300 people were killed across the country. These protests led Ruto to withdraw the bill. Some of his former allies have since become his harshest critics, accusing him of destroying the economy through brutal taxation. President Ruto doesn't see all this; he sees it through rose-colored glasses; he believes the government is on the right track. He also promised to build 250,000 houses and increase the availability of affordable housing from 2 percent to 50 percent. Barely in office, the number of houses was reduced to 200,000. A housing tax of 1.5 percent of a worker's monthly salary was introduced, along with a matching amount from employers. 148,165 houses are under construction, and 11,000 have already been completed. This represents a shortfall compared to the goal of building 500,000 homes by April 2025. What else was promised: - 50 billion shillings annually to small businesses through savings banks and credit unions, venture capital, and long-term loans for new and growing businesses (Hustler Fund) - Two million poor farmers were promised assistance through subsidies for agricultural inputs and field support. - A fertilizer subsidy program was introduced, and 53.6 million farmers were registered. But then there was a corruption scandal, triggered by Rigathi Gachagua. - The Social Health Service Authority (SHA), a social health insurance system, was introduced. NHIF, the old system, was closed. SHA is said to still have problems. - The goal was to close the gap of 116,000 teachers. There were financial challenges in doing so. The Minister of Education stated that the government owed schools 64 billion shillings. - However, Ruto's first budget on July 1, 2023, made life difficult by heavily taxing businesses. The government increased the value-added tax on petroleum products from 8 to 16 percent. The cost of living rose. - The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) stated that the country's economy faces significant inflationary and exchange rate pressures in 2022. - A promise was made to digitize 80 percent of government services to increase efficiency, reduce corruption, and improve accessibility through eCitizen and mobile platforms. - The Government services increased from 350 in 2022 to 20,985 in 2025. Revenue increased from 60 million shillings to between 700 and 1 billion shillings per day. - Government scandals rocked Kenya, including the mosquito net tender, in which dishonest government officials embezzled millions of shillings. - The Public Service Commission (PSC) reported that, for the first fiscal year, the government lost 650 million shillings due to corrupt contracts during the audited period. Just one more, and here only keywords: Demonstrations 2024; Butere Girls; Abductions; Rose Njeri, ..... @https://taifaleo.nation.co.ke/habari/habari-za-kitaifa/siku-1000-za-ruto-tathmini-yaonyesha-umekuwa-uongozi-wa-kubahatisha/