Is it too early for Azimio to start faulting Ruto’s administration?
The Mt Kenya Times 
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- We saw them taking the battle a notch higher a few days ago when they stated. Dr Ruto’s much touted promises were just a ploy meant to help him to achieve his political dream.
- The duo faulted him for lifting the ban on Genetically Modified Crops [GMOs] and for high cost of life. GMOs cannot be a solution to food insecurity. These foods are harmful to human beings and even animals and this had informed the decision of the government of President Mwai Kibaki to ban 10 years ago.
- Raila further claimed: The GMO seeds were being produced by multinational companies in Europe through a laboratory process dubbed biotechnology.
President William Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza government rose to power on a platform of a raft of promises. One month down the line, the question is whether Dr Ruto is walking the talk, particularly in regard to pledges he promised to fulfill within 100 days.
This topic has continued to elicit mixed reactions. The leadership of Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition, which he had trounced at polls, believes he has not done anything that Kenyans should be proud of. Is it too early to start faulting his administration? 100 days have not lapsed
Well, top leaders of the opposition coalition led by Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka have signaled they cannot wait anymore.
We saw them taking the battle a notch higher a few days ago when they stated. Dr Ruto’s much touted promises were just a ploy meant to help him to achieve his political dream.
The duo faulted him for lifting the ban on Genetically Modified Crops [GMOs] and for high cost of life. GMOs cannot be a solution to food insecurity. These foods are harmful to human beings and even animals and this had informed the decision of the government of President Mwai Kibaki to ban 10 years ago.
Raila further claimed: The GMO seeds were being produced by multinational companies in Europe through a laboratory process dubbed biotechnology.
Of important of note is that these foods were not consumed there because these companies were prohibited by their respective governments from selling these seeds to local farmers. This explains why companies were desperately looking for markets of the GMO seeds outside Europe, he alleged.
Turning to the high prices of food and fuel, the coalition believes that it was wrong to remove the subsidies. In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic and Ukraine-Russia war, many countries including super powers resorted to introduction of subsidy to help their citizens.
Though these claims sound weighty, a number of questions come to mind. Are they based on truth and facts? On GMOs, Dr Ruto’s critics have making reference to researches done long time ago. The research is an ongoing work and hence I am persuaded to believe the cabinet relied on the latest findings to approve the food. These findings showed the foods are now safe.
It is worth to note that Dr Ruto was a cabinet minister when the ban was slapped. Therefore, he knows that the reasons that prompted this action.
For now, this is a President who has demonstrated that he truly loves the people of Kenya. So, you would not expect him to put them on what Azimio termed as ‘slow death’.
But having said this, my advice to the President is. He should cause his administration to apply brakes on the implementation. This would pave the way for public participation and experts, not politicians, engaged in creating awareness.
This will help to assure Kenyans that the foods were safe and hence the fears being spread by Azmio did not hold any water.
The first key step is to prepare a list of countries across the world embracing the bio-safety technology. Secondly, assure Kenyans that claims of GMO organisms contaminating indigenous food had no merit. Thirdly, were GMOs grown and consumed in US and other countries in Europe?
On subsidies, my considered view is that President Ruto is on right course. For starters, subsidy is the money that the government gives to private companies so that they sell their product at lower prices.
Let me give an example of maize flour, a miller is selling a 2kg packet at Sh200. It means the government would pay the balance if it asks the millers to sell at Sh100 to consumers.
When this happens, the government is not able to cater for other essential services. For instance, the citizens will not get drugs or receive proper treatment at government-run hospitals.
But as the state mainly focus on boosting production and agriculture; I know Dr Ruto is also exploring other interventions. One of them is to introduce partial subsidy on basic commodities.
This would be a short-lived measure meant to cushion Kenyans during this time of drought. 4.2 million Kenyans facing starvation and are in dire need of food.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political commentator based in Nairobi
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- Where leadership meets the people: Why Mt. Kenya Times is Kenya’s trusted home for political dialogue and informed democracy
- You cannot build a presidency by dividing Mt. Kenya
- Mt Kenya Times ePAPER July 1, 2026
- Gachagua promises fair DCP primaries as he targets Nairobi revival
- Clergy appeal for peace as political tensions spill into public gatherings
About the Author
