William Ruto’s unfulfilled promises, a year later
It has been over a year since President William Ruto officially took over the reins.
In his campaigns, the Head of State made numerous promises to Kenyans, some of which remain unfulfilled.
The President, who used persuasive rhetoric to secure votes, has yet to deliver on several of these pledges, and in some cases, he has been inconsistent in his stance.
Here are some of the notable and, at times, humorous promises made by the Head of State:
Free phone calls and internet
On June 29, 2022, Ruto promised Kenyans would not only make free calls but also surf the internet without attracting charges. He spoke at the launch of the Kiambu County Hustler fund.
“People struggle to buy international bundles. At the market, you will not need bundles to make calls. We will have free internet,” he said.
In all fairness, the government has installed free wifi in some selected areas. But this remains far from reliable. Kenyans however still have to spend much more to purchase internet and make calls.
Free Hustler Fund
After being sworn in, President Ruto flip-flopped on the issue of the Hustler Fund. Initially, he promised borrowing the money from the fund will be interest-free. He would later change his statement, saying; “there is no free money in government. This stirred mixed reactions on various social media platforms with many left feeling betrayed.
The Sh300/500 gas cylinder
On March 2, 2023, Ruto said, “In order to reduce the gas prices, we will remove the tax, the gas cylinders you buy will now cost Sh300 or Sh500 from Sh2800.
The Head of State later changed his stance saying; “We must first approve this in the budget. As of now, there is no way to waive the tax until a new budget is passed. June 1 is not possible until we pass it through Parliament,” Ruto said.
However, it is now three months since President Ruto signed the Finance Bill into law and Kenyans are still waiting to buy the gas cylinder at Sh300/500.
Lower cost of living
During the election campaign, President Ruto pledged to reduce the cost of living, a promise that has yet to be realized. The persistent increase in petrol prices has had a far-reaching impact on various sectors in the country, leading to continued spikes in commodity prices.
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