President William Ruto is this week marking three and half weeks since his inauguration at an elaborate ceremony held at Kasarani Stadium.
It is a moment that ushered in new hope for millions of hustlers reeling under high cost of living. During the campaigns, he had undertaken to reduce the high cost of food and fuel, saying the subsidy programmes were not sustainable.
However, the reality, including the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war which he had dismissed on the campaign trail, has since sank in.
In the last one month, motorists have been paying more for fuel with the price going down by Sh1 and the situation is unlikely to change any time soon. At the same time, the removal of the unga subsidy, the leading staple food has remained out of rich for majority of Kenyans and the President has remained adamant that he will not subsidise consumption.
He is instead asking for one year before he addresses the cost of food through, among others, the subsidised fertiliser programme.
Expanded tax net
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But what is causing concern among Kenyans is government is determined to squeeze even more money from their pockets through an expanded tax net that will rope in the informal sector. This, is in addition to increased NSSF contributions.
While no reasonable Kenyan can refuse to meet their tax obligations and increase old age savings, the government should have prioritised austerity measures and the war on graft. It is during the Kibaki days that Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) adopted the slogan "kulipa ushuru ni kujitegemea."
But taxpayers had no qualms giving to Caesar what belonged to Caesar since they were seeing whether their money was being used for. A good example is the free primary education programme and massive infrastructure projects. The Narc government was never borrowed for recurrent expenditure.
Therefore, before asking starving citizens and mama mbogas to get KRA PINs, Ruto needs to first embark on tangible delivery of his promises, including growing the economy.