Ruto seeks balance between IMF heavy demands, of rioting citizens
Opposition supporters hold posters that read 'Tumechoka' (Swahili for ‘We are tired’) as they participate in a public rally against the high cost of living after the passing of the finance bill at the Kamukunji grounds in Nairobi, Kenya on July 7, 2023. PHOTO | LUIS TATO | AFP
President William Ruto’s advisers are racking their brains to save the Kenyan economy, now characterised by weakening fundamentals and rising debt, amid mounting pressure to quell a political crisis caused by new taxes and high cost of living.
Recently, the opposition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance has been sponsoring civil disobedience in protest against the unpopular Finance Act 2023, which introduced double value added tax on petroleum products, effectively raising the cost of commodities, on top of new taxes on salaried workers.
