What Else Do You Have? Ruto Tells Off Raila Over Threats Of Maandamano Return

President William Ruto on Tuesday, January 2 challenged Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga to offer alternative solutions to problems affecting the country instead of threatening to call for fresh anti-government protests in 2024 which he argued would worsen Kenya's economic woes.

Speaking during the burial of Michael Waweru, father of Nyandarua Senator John Methu in Nyandarua, the President relentlessly tore into the opposition for continuously criticising the government for its policies instead of offering any workable solutions.

Ruto, who gave his remarks, claimed that the opposition's push for the revival of maandamano was a form of blackmail and threats to force the government to cave into the opposition's demands.

On December 30, 2023, Raila threatened to instigate mass protests in the new year if the government refused to revoke punitive taxes as well as the Finance Act, which has been blamed for the rising cost of living in the country.

"Let me tell the opposition, instead of trying to bring violence, tell Kenyans the alternative that you have. We have told people to pay taxes so that we can pay debt. Don't tell us about bringing maandamano which will bring bloodshed, and disrupt businesses, how will that help Kenyans?" Ruto posed.

"So, let's stop all these intimidation tactics, give us viable alternative views if you have any. But this opposition does not have any plans, look at them. They are known for carrying sufurias on their heads while farmers were busy on the farms, now prices of goods are beginning to go down."

Ruto also asserted that his administration would be non-hesitant on the issue of taxes, arguing that this was preventing the country from sliding into deeper debt territory.

"We need to correct the mistakes made by our predecessors. Our main problem is not taxes, it is debt. People do not want to be told the truth. This has caused so many nations to default and not know how to get themselves from such messes," he stated.

"I cannot allow our country to go that route whereby Kenya will get a bad name. I want to tell our citizens that unless we control our appetite for borrowing, we will be slaves to those who lend to us."

Speaking in Nyanza on Saturday, Raila accused the government of worsening the cost of living across the country through punitive taxes.

Raila's threats to call for fresh mass action have already received some backing, with businessman and former presidential candidate Jimi Wanjigi voicing his support for maandamano's return, stating that it was timely given that Kenyans were overtaxed and the government was oblivious to their suffering.

“I support him (Odinga) 101%. Street action and maandamano are embedded in our Constitution. This pain must be expressed, and let it be expressed on the streets, in our homes, in our churches…we must express it because we seem to have a government that is not listening,” he said.

Wanjigi attributed the rising cost of living to the national debt, arguing that for every Ksh100 collected in revenue, about Ksh70 goes to repay loans.

He warned of a tougher 2024 compared to 2023 for Kenyans arguing that the rising national debt was forcing the government to impose more punitive tax measures, which would bring the country to the brink of an economic national shutdown.