Fuel crisis: Storm in Parliament as Ruto allies tell Uhuru to resign
A past session of the Senate.
The crippling fuel crisis has snowballed into a confrontation between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto after their allies clashed during debate in the two Houses of Parliament.
Although the President has signed into law the 2021/22 first supplementary budget, paving the way for the release of Sh34 billion to oil marketing firms to stabilise prices, that was a scant relief to the DP allies.
In what appeared to be a well-coordinated scheme, the allies of the DP stormed the two Houses, blaming the President for the crisis and demanding an explanation on how the funds allocated and approved in the budget to stabilise the fuel prices had been expended.
But it was Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula who touched the raw nerve when he accused Mr Kenyatta of being an uncaring leader who is presiding over an irresponsible government, going further to challenge him to resign. “If this was a caring and democratic government, President Kenyatta should tender his resignation and pass leadership to those who can lead the country,” said Mr Wetang’ula, as he demanded an explanation on why the fuel subsidy funds accumulated to Sh34 billion.
Remaining silent
The senator accused the President of remaining silent in the face of a crisis that has seen the prices of essential commodities skyrocket to an unprecedented level in the last three months.
“This is a naked government,” The Ford Kenya leader said.
“As Kenyans, we should pray that August 9 (election date) is brought forward so that we can vote out this government as Kenya Kwanza will save this country from this morass, greed, theft and uncaring behaviour.”
However, allies of the President did not take the criticism lightly, and while they argued that the fuel shortage is a sensitive national issue, they discounted the manner in which the Bungoma senator had approached it, accusing him of playing politics.
They then turned their guns on Dr Ruto, criticising him for turning himself into an opposition in government while enjoying the trappings of power that come with the office. Deputy Minority leader James Orengo said the dysfunction witnessed in government operations is a result of the conduct of the DP.
“He is taking every little advantage to hit the government when he should raise some of these issues in the Cabinet,” Mr Orengo said, in reference to the press statement the DP issued on Monday attacking the government’s response to fuel shortage.
Deputy Majority leader Fatuma Dullo and Migori Senator Ochilo Ayacko laughed off the call for the President to quit, saying the blame must go to Parliament for having passed the Finance Bill in 2019 that introduced an eight per cent VAT on fuel and petroleum products.
In the National Assembly, MPs blamed the government for the shortage even as they demanded answers from the Petroleum ministry. Garissa Township MP Aden Duale demanded that the state provide the number of licensed oil marketers and how much has been collected as fuel levy since September last year.
“You can’t ask the President to resign,” said Ms Dullo, who blamed Ruto and his allies of exploiting every small challenge the Jubilee government has confronted of late as a boost to their election campaign.
Mr Ayacko faulted Mr Wetangula for demanding the President’s resignation terming as a mischievous ways of seizing state power at a time the country is hot in the electioneering.
“It is thieves who want the President to resign at this critical time when some of us are looking forward t an orderly transition,” he said, warning that the President Kenyatta will not resign.’
Long queues
“It is true the president said Sh2 billion is lost daily. But he also went further and attributed the theft to the coalition where Mr Wetangula belongs,” he added.
The blame game happened yesterday when the Senate adjourned yesterday to discuss the fuel crisis that has seen long queues across the country as motorists wait for inordinate long hours to access the commodity.
The motion was moved by Muranga senator Irungu Kangata, who is DP’s ally.
In the National Assembly, MPs blamed the government for the shortage even as they demanded for answers on the crisis. The MPs want the Ministry of petroleum to explain how the Petroleum Development Fuel levy, allocated for such crises has been used for the last one year.
In a statement before the House, Garissa Township MP Aden Duale also wants the state to provide the number of oil marketers licensed to operate in the country as petroleum dealers and how much has been collected as petroleum fuel levy since September last year.
