Three years later, President's promises face harsh reality check

President William Ruto appends his signature on Cabinet Secretaries documents at State House in Nairobi on October 27,2022. [FILE/Standard] When William Ruto took the oath of office in September 2022, he carried the hopes of millions who believed in his promise to uplift ordinary Kenyans - the so-called "hustlers" who felt left behind by decades of elite politics. He promised affordable housing, universal healthcare, job creation, and relief from the high cost of living. Almost three years later, many of those promises remain unfulfilled due to legal hurdles, poor planning, incompetence, and corruption, fuelling public anger. What began as a people-first agenda is now, critics say, a list of unmet expectations, arrogance, and enforced disappearances. At the centre of Ruto's manifesto was the Affordable Housing Programme, which aimed to deliver 250,000 units each year while creating jobs. But the programme sparked protests over its funding model - a mandatory housing levy deducted from workers' salaries - which the courts later declared unconstitutional. While construction is ongoing in some counties, critics question the affordability and sustainability of the initiative. On healthcare, Ruto promised to overhaul the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and introduce Universal Health Coverage. The government replaced NHIF with three new funds: the Social Health Insurance Fund, the Primary Healthcare Fund, and the Emergency, Chronic, and Critical Illness Fund. But the rollout has been marred by confusion and delayed communication. Hospitals remain underfunded, workers strike frequently, and questions linger over whether the new system is accessible to the poor. The President also vowed to cut the cost of living within his first 100 days. Kenyans were told the prices of unga, fuel, electricity, and gas would come down. Instead, fuel and electricity prices hit historic highs, and food prices remain elevated. The Finance Act 2023, and the later-withdrawn Finance Bill 2024, introduced new taxes on salaries, digital services, and fuel. These sparked a nationwide youth-led protest movement that escalated into mass unrest. What began online with Generation Z calling out government excesses evolved into a powerful civic uprising. Dozens of protesters were killed, hundreds injured, and scores arrested during the June-July 2024 demonstrations. The crackdowns drew condemnation from rights groups and raised questions about the government's tolerance for dissent and its commitment to public dialogue. Ruto had also promised to create jobs, especially for youth. The flagship Hustler Fund - a microloan programme for small businesses - disbursed loans as low as Sh500. High default rates followed, and the impact was negligible. Meanwhile, job creation through housing, manufacturing, and digital programmes has fallen far short of projections. In agriculture, Ruto pledged to lower fertiliser prices, expand irrigation, and subsidise farmers. While fertiliser costs dropped, farmers complained about poor-quality inputs and limited market access. Many regions continue to experience food insecurity, with Kenya turning to imports to stabilise supply. The education sector has also stumbled, with the transition to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) exposing severe infrastructure and staffing gaps. Junior secondary students remain in primary schools, often without labs, libraries, or trained teachers. Heads of public schools have decried delayed capitation, some even borrowing to keep operations running.

Three years later, President's promises face harsh reality check

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Three years later, President's promises face harsh reality check

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