“No food, no elections” – Kenyan citizens take to the streets to protest the high cost of living (photos), #food #election #Kenyan #citizens #streets #protest #high #cost #living #Photos Welcome to OLASMEDIA TV NEWSThis is what we have for you today:
Hundreds of Kenyans took to the streets of Nairobi on Thursday, July 7, to the president’s office to protest the high cost of living in the East African country.
The angry citizens say the price of basic commodities, including cooking oil, cornmeal, wheat flour and sugar, has doubled in recent weeks, putting pressure on households struggling to make ends meet.
The protesters even threatened that the elections in the country would not take place if there was no food for them.
Business Capital reported that some protesters addressing the media accused leaders of failing to address the issue, leaving them no choice but to fight for themselves.
“Our elected leaders have failed us and Kenyans are going through so much and that is why we are here to demand the price reduction of basic commodities,” said one of the activists.
Another protester said the government should not blame the Russia-Ukraine conflict for the high cost of living, claiming the conflict has only exacerbated the situation.
“Food prices were high even before the issue of Ukraine, we are in this situation because of too much borrowing and the money is going into the pockets of a few,” he said.
With only 32 days until the election, protesting Kenyans complained that the two frontrunners in the presidential election, Raila Odinga and William Ruto, are only making promises rather than offering solutions.
“Raila is a friend of the president so it’s just a phone call away, Ruto has been in government for ten years and he also promises, why can’t they help us now? another protester wondered.
Government spokesman Cyrus Oguna defended President Uhuru Kenyatta over the high cost of living currently seen in the country.
Oguna pointed out that the head of state is not responsible for the situation, as he attributed it to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
“It’s not fair to blame one person, it’s not the president. The war in Ukraine has made it difficult for countries around the world,” he said, adding that the situation was not unique to Kenya alone.