Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua have defended the government against Kenyan's wrath due to the high cost of living.
In a round table meeting with the media, Raila said that there are external factors that have pushed the cost of living to new levels in the recent past.
"There have been other events that have taken place in other parts of the world which are major contributory factors to the rise in the cost of living, not only in Kenya but around the world," said Raila.
Also Read:
"Some people are trying to divert the attention of the public, playing populist politics with the cost of living. Some causes are beyond the control of government," Raila added.
On her side, Karua defended the Azimio coalition, saying that they are not in government hence they cannot be blamed for any wrongs done by the Jubilee government. Karua said that the Azimio would reduce the cost of living within the first 100 days in office.
"Kwa sasa tuelewe Azimio haiko kwa serikali… lakini tukichukua mamlaka, tumewapa ahadi kwamba kwa siku 100 za kwanza, gharama ya maisha itateremshwa. (For now let us understand that Azimio is not in government... but we have a promise that when we take over office within the first 100 days, the cost of living will come down)," Karua.
We are not in government - Raila, Karua
According to Raila, the division in government between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto has affected the process of policy-making in government, slowing down some aspects of running the government.
"Kenyans know very well that am not in government, I don't earn a salary and don't live in a government house, but having been in the government I also know the challenges which a government faces," Raila said.
"Tunajua shida yenye iko ni kwamba serikali haiko pamoja, nusu ya serikali inapinga yale yenye serikali inajaribu kufanya, ati wao wanasema hao ndio wako na suluhu wakipewa hatamu ya uongozi nchini. (We know the problem is that the government is not united, half of the government is opposing what the (main) government is doing, in the pretense that they have a solution in case they are given a chance to lead)," he added.
Kenya has dropped 33 places in the 2022 happiness index to position 119 globally as compared to the 86th position in 2021.
According to the World Happiness Report released on March 18, 2022, Kenya came second in the East African Region after Uganda.
Kenya’s inflation accelerated to a new record of 7.1 percent in May as the cost of food and beverages continues to rise sharply partly affected by the war in Ukraine which has stoked energy and food prices.
The latest data released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) show that the overall year-on-year Inflation rate for May 2022 was 7.1 percent compared to 6.47 percent recorded in April 2022.
