Raila surprises city boda boda riders with fuel, decries cost of living
Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga now says the current high cost of living is unbearable for ordinary Kenyans.
Speaking during a meet-the-people tour in Mathare and Ruaraka constituencies on Wednesday, October 12, the ODM party leader accused President William Ruto's government of failing to honour pledges made during the August elections.
Raila said despite Ruto's promise to reduce the cost of basic commodities such as maize flour (Unga) and fuel, Kenyans continue to suffer due to current high prices.
Raila, who insists that he was rigged out in the August presidential poll, said he was forced to cut short his break from the limelight due to the cries of the common mwananchi.
He criticized Ruto's speech at the Nairobi Securities Exchange yesterday on encouraging boda boda operators to trade on NSE saying the riders can barely make enough.
"Yesterday he (Ruto) went to the NSE and announced boda boda riders will be able to invest in the stocks but after discussing with the riders, I have discovered that they barely make enough," he stated.
"Can a mama mboga invest in the stock exchange? It seems this government has forgotten their promises," Raila said.
The former prime minister said most of the boda boda operators earn Ksh700 in a day and after fueling their bikes they are left with about Ksh200, which he said can't even buy a 2kg-packet of Unga.
To support the operators, Raila surprised a group of riders at a local petrol station with Ksh20,000 to buy fuel.
Ruto on Tuesday expressed anticipation for the participation of medium, small and micro-enterprise (MSME) traders in NSE, to improve their income.
"I look forward to the government of Kenya raising more resources for our development using NSE, whereby many Kenyans grow their wealth using the NSE, whereby that Boda boda guy is trading on his phone as he awaits the next customer, instead of betting. When Mama mboga, when waiting for her next supply, is on her phone buying shares," the President said after presiding over the bell-ringing ceremony to mark the launch of the enhanced NSE Market Place.
