An open letter to President William Ruto

Dear President William Ruto,

Your advisors must have withheld from you that your popularity has taken a downward trend due to your government’s appetite to overtax struggling Kenyans, increased killings of innocent people, abductions and arbitrary arrests.

We have a failed economy, poorly framed policies that cannot be implemented, political instability, increased insecurity and desperate, struggling Kenyans who are unemployed.

Your advisors are earning salaries paid by the heavily taxed Kenyans without offering quality service since they have failed to be honest and to speak the truth.

Mr President, you need to search your conscience, go back to the drawing board, review the state of the country and make the necessary adjustments.

Due to heavy taxation, several companies have switched bases to the neighbouring countries where the business environment is conducive, thus rendering hundreds of people redundant. To make matters worse, your government plans to reintroduce the punitive Finance Bill, 2024, which was rejected by the people through countrywide protests mid this year. You have not commented on the reintroduction of the tax measures, which are going to harm Kenyans economically, yet you had rejected them.

Millions of poor Kenyans cannot access affordable medical care since the newly introduced insurance scheme, which is taking away a sizeable chunk from employees as mandatory contribution. The education sector is not any better due to increased school fees and delayed salaries. Similar delays of salaries has been witnessed in health and other sectors.

Where does the government take all the monies collected through levies?

The increased cases of depression among the people could be due to hard economic times, with majority “living dead” since they cannot even afford a daily meal. Abductions of persons perceived to be against the government and the increased killings of women and girls have further dented the good image of the government.

Something needs to be done very fast Mr President, otherwise these things might affect your re-election.

Damson Opiyo Onger, Kisumu