Mumias East Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Salasya has raised concerns about the government’s recent assertion that the economy has stabilized and inflation has reduced.
In a statement shared on his Instagram account on Friday, November 15, 2024, Salasya expressed dissatisfaction with the rising cost of living, particularly the surge in cement prices. He pointed out that despite Kenya having natural resources essential for cement production, such as clinker found in Kajiado and West Pokot, citizens are yet to see the benefits.
“Before this government came into power, a bag of cement cost Ksh700. Now it’s Ksh900, yet we have our clinker, a key element in cement production. It’s a natural resource God gave us freely, but we can’t see the difference. It would have been better to continue importing cement. And they claim inflation has reduced? Lies! Even construction has become difficult,” Salasya stated.
Govt on inflation
Salasya’s remarks were in response to the government’s November 4, 2024 announcement, which highlighted that substantial progress in easing the cost of living had been made recently.
According to government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, efforts across various sectors have made essential goods and services more affordable.
“These efforts are being driven by sector-specific initiatives, which are bearing fruit as observed in the latest economic indicators,” Mwaura stated.
He added that fuel prices had decreased without subsidies, leading to immediate savings for Kenyans on transportation and energy costs.
“This change benefits not only consumers but also small businesses and agricultural producers who rely on affordable transportation to bring products to market,” Mwaura asserted.
Mwaura highlighted that the prices of essential household items, which had previously risen sharply, are now more affordable.
“Unga is now retailing at approximately Ksh100, sugar at around Ksh120, and cooking gas at about Ksh1,000, while cooking oil has reduced to Ksh200 per litre,” he stated.
He attributed the steady reduction in Kenya’s inflation rate to targeted economic reforms in critical sectors such as energy and agriculture.
“Inflation has dropped to 3.6 per cent, the lowest level since 2012, down from 9 per cent earlier this year,” he said.
Mwaura also noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recognized Kenya’s economic growth as above average. He credited this to the effective management of the economy and the early repayment of the $2 billion Eurobond debt.
“As a result, IMF recently approved $606 million (Ksh78 billion) in funding for development projects in Kenya,” he noted.
