Azimio accuses Kenya Kwanza of mismanaging the country, covering up with propaganda
Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party has accused the ruling Kenya Kwanza regime of mismanaging the country's economy, and in turn, using propaganda to cover up their incompetence.
In a statement issued on Friday, September 15, 2023, the outfit led by Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Martha Karua accused the William Ruto-led regime on reneging on its promises to Kenyans one year on.
Azimio says that despite the country being in a "reckless race to the bottom", Kenya Kwanza has been engaged in an "extravagant" rhetoric to dupe Kenyans.
"In one year under Kenya Kwanza, our currency, the Kenya shilling, the once mighty currency in the region, has received severe beating. The shilling has lost a quarter of its value against the US dollar in one year. The shilling lost 20 per cent of its value against Tanzania and Uganda shillings. In August 2022, the shilling was trading at 120 for one US dollar. A year later, the shilling is trading at 150 against one US dollar," Azimio stated.
"The free fall of the shilling is therefore a grand betrayal of the people of Kenya by the Kenya Kwanza regime."
The opposition also accused the ruling alliance of increasing its expenditure by over Ksh400 billion, forcing it to borrow more despite its campaign promise to cut on borrowing.
"The regime resorted to more borrowing, ignoring the warnings that we are in debt distress and at the risk of debt default. Without blinking an eye, the regime went against its promise to reduce borrowing and did the complete opposite," Azimio added.
Azimio on education
Azimio has also accused the government of increasing the cost of education, as a result locking out many students from accessing both basic and tertiary education.
"In public, the Kenya Kwanza administration continues to talk about free education, the reality in our schools and homes across Kenya is that education is no longer free either in primary or secondary schools. Inadequate funding is growing into a full-blown crisis in primary and secondary schools, forcing head teachers to beg from well-wishers to help finance schools, straining parents further and threatening the high enrollment reached in recent years as many students are sent home for school fees," added the opposition.
"Although the academic year is coming to an end, the funds that have been released to schools are way below what was required. In some of the schools, the Government has disbursed as low as Ksh15,000 for a student population of 400. Some schools received as low as Ksh3,000."
According to Azimio, the education sector is being crippled through mismanagement, lack of clarity, lack of interest and weak leadership in the sector.
The opposition alleges that education field officers have been instructed to work with school PTAs and BOMs and approve measures to help school raise funds for their operations which means schools are forced to raise fees.
"As a result of the weak leadership, examination integrity is back as an issue in our education. Implementation of the CBC curriculum is in chaos," added Azimio.
The opposition claims that in the first year under Kenya Kwanza, the cost of education has gone up by 225 per cent with a compromised quality.
The statement by Azimio comes hours after the Energy and Petroleum and Regulatory Authority (EPRA) increased Super Petrol prices by Ksh16.96, Diesel by Ksh21.32 and Kerosene by Ksh33.13.
The changes that took effect today, September 15, saw the retail price of a litre of Super Petrol in Nairobi rise to Ksh211.64, Diesel Ksh200.99, and Kerosene Ksh202.61.
Azimio says the hike in fuel prices is exposing the government's incompetence, which has been "managing the economy through propaganda".
"You cannot manage the economy via propaganda. One year later, all indicators point to the fact that that life is deteriorating not improving," Azimio stated.
