Muigai Wa Njoroge faces online backlash over 2022 post as fuel prices soar
Controversial singer Muigai Wa Njoroge is currently under fire from a segment of his Facebook followers after a post he shared last year came back to haunt him.
Back then, Muigai, who supported President William Ruto during the elections, urged his fans to give the Kenya Kwanza government a chance to improve the standards of living in the country.
“Ata mukiongeza aje… Haiwezi pita 172. Wakenya tujikazeeee. Tuko karibu kutomboa” (Even if fuel prices go up, it won’t go beyond 172. Let’s persevere. We are close to a breakthrough),” his post read.
However, some of his fans are now questioning why he seemingly misled them, after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) on Friday announced a significant increase in fuel prices.
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Kenyans have been expressing their frustration on social media following the announcement, which saw prices of Super Petrol, Diesel, and Kerosene shoot by Sh16.96, Sh21.32 and Sh33.13 per liter, respectively.
The steep increase in fuel prices has been attributed in part to the recent revision of the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products, which increased from 8 per cent to 16 per cent.
As anticipated, the bulk of Kenyans anger is now being directed at President William Ruto and his administration, with the public accusing them of imposing a heavy burden by increasing fuel prices, in addition to new taxes stemming from the controversial Finance Act, which included the contentious Housing Fund.
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What has further fueled their dissatisfaction is the fact that just over a year ago, during the campaigns, Dr Ruto and UDA leaders criticized former President Uhuru Kenyatta for escalating fuel costs.
They had pledged to lower the surging prices, which they alleged were the result of corruption within the then government.
On one particular occasion, Dr Ruto questioned why the fuel prices in Kenya were higher than in Uganda which imports its fuel through Kenya.
“Ile cartel ya ufisadi iko pale ndio inasababisha bei ya mafuta kuzidi bei ya mafuta Uganda. Na hiyo mafuta inapitia Kenya ikienda Uganda. Jameni unaeza kutueleza vipi ati bei ya mafuta hapa Kenya, ambapo ni karibu na mahali mafuta inatoka, iko bei juu kuliko Uganda na Kampala inachukua mafuta kutoka hapa kwetu?” President Ruto said back then.
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