As President William Ruto marks nearly 1,000 days in office, opposition leaders are sounding the alarm over broken promises and growing public frustration.
ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna says the Kenya Kwanza government has let the country down and does not deserve another term in power.
“In making an overall assessment of the KK regime, I am inclined to go with what the people I represent say daily on the streets—that it has been a huge disappointment,” Sifuna said in an interview.
He accused the administration of failing on key pledges — lower taxes, affordable living, national unity, and police reform.
“Instead, they’ve done the opposite,” he said. “Our people are more despondent, more miserable and live in more squalor, while the government gobbles up billions in travel, luxury, and an unnecessary appetite for soft life.”
A Presidency Under Pressure
President Ruto swept to power in 2022 on a wave of populist support, promising to empower ordinary Kenyans in what he called the “hustler” movement. But that hope is wearing thin.
With the cost of living still high, critics say the government is out of touch. The 2023 budget, for instance, doubled VAT on fuel from 8 to 16 per cent — a move that drove up transport and food costs.
Though the Central Bank blames global trends, the pain at home is hard to ignore. “Kenyans are struggling to put food on the table,” said market vendor Florence Achieng’ in Kisumu. “We expected things to get better, not worse.”
Inflation hit a peak of 9.6 per cent in 2022, before easing slightly. The Kenyan shilling, which fell to Sh161 to the dollar in January, has since recovered to around Sh129.
Health System in Crisis
The rollout of a new health scheme — the Social Health Insurance Fund — has left many confused and frustrated. Monthly contributions have gone up, and most private hospitals say the government is late on payments.
According to the Rural and Urban Private Hospital Association, nine out of ten clinics are still waiting for funds.
“We haven’t received reimbursements in months,” one Nairobi hospital administrator told The Times.
At the same time, over 8,500 health workers hired under the universal care programme are still waiting to be absorbed into permanent roles.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale admitted there were delays but insisted progress was being made. “We’ve registered 23 million Kenyans, and the new biometric systems will make access more reliable,” he said.
Education Shortfalls
The education sector is also under pressure. A shortage of over 100,000 teachers persists, while a new university funding model has faced court battles and backlash from parents.
Education CS Julius Ogamba recently told Parliament that public schools are owed Sh64 billion in capitation, disrupting learning across the country.
Still, President Ruto remained upbeat during his Madaraka Day speech. He claimed a 99.1 per cent transition rate from primary to junior secondary and promised to hire 100,000 new teachers by early 2026.
Housing: Lofty Plans, Mixed Results
Ruto’s flagship housing plan was meant to deliver 250,000 homes each year. That goal was later revised to 200,000, backed by a controversial 1.5 per cent levy on all salaried workers and their employers.
Deputy Chief of Staff Eliud Owalo says 148,165 units are under construction, and 11,000 are ready. “The programme is firmly on course,” Ruto said in his national address.
But critics say the numbers don’t add up. By now, over 500,000 homes should have been built.
Principal Secretary Charles Hinga says the project has created over 250,000 jobs and pumped Sh11 billion into small-scale suppliers. Yet, the latest data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows the construction sector shrank by 0.7 per cent — raising doubts about job claims.
Hustler Fund Under Scrutiny
Launched with fanfare in 2022, the Hustler Fund was meant to offer cheap loans to small businesses. But its budget has been slashed dramatically — from Sh12 billion to just Sh800 million last year.
Only Sh1 billion is planned for the next financial year.
Public Service PS Susan Mang’eni says the government may write off Sh6 billion in unpaid loans from more than 10 million Kenyans.
So far, Sh70 billion has been disbursed to individuals and groups, according to Eliud Owalo.
Agriculture Wins and Controversies
One of Ruto’s major wins, according to his team, has been in agriculture. Fertiliser subsidies have lowered prices from Sh7,500 to Sh2,500 per bag, and the government claims this has doubled food output.
Milk now sells for Sh50 per litre, up from Sh35. Coffee has hit Sh150 per kilo, and sugar output rose by over 300,000 tonnes.
Still, controversy erupted after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claimed that the fertiliser was donated by Russia — a claim echoed by ODM leader Raila Odinga, who demanded transparency.
The government has denied any wrongdoing.
ODM Eyes 2027
Despite signing a memorandum of understanding with Ruto’s party earlier this year, Sifuna says ODM remains firm on its opposition path.
“The MoU restated our values, it didn’t compromise them,” he told The Times. “Getting UDA’s leader to endorse our people-first agenda was a win, not a surrender.”
He confirmed that ODM would field a presidential candidate in 2027. “Since our formation, we have always fielded a presidential candidate, and I see no reason why 2027 should be any different.”
For now, the political winds remain uncertain. But one thing is clear: the honeymoon is over, and the questions are only getting louder.
