Ruto under fire as rights group petitions govt over cost of living
By Brian Malila, February 20, 202615 days to the review of the 10-point agenda, President William Ruto faces mounting pressure from the rights group organisations, who have faulted his administration for failing to address the cost of living.
The activists, led by Bob Njagi, have now intensified their Free Kenya Signature Collection Drive, urging residents in 47 counties to volunteer their signatures in a bid to collect one million signatures to trigger a constitutional referendum aimed at addressing the high cost of living.
Speaking on Friday, February 20, 2026, in Embu town, Njagi said the movement is pursuing a people-driven solution to what he described as unbearable economic hardship affecting many Kenyan households.
“We are calling upon the people of Embu to volunteer their signatures so that we can reach one million and compel the government to listen to Kenyans. The cost of basic commodities has become too high. Families are struggling to afford food and other essentials,” he said.
Njagi argued that previous appeals to the government to lower taxes on essential goods have not produced meaningful results, making a referendum the next viable constitutional step.
Under Kenya’s constitutional framework, once the one million signatures are collected, they will be submitted to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for verification. If the threshold is met, the process of initiating a referendum would formally begin.
Even so, the movement insists that the initiative is not politically motivated but rather a citizen-driven effort to push for reforms that could ease the tax burden on basic commodities and lower the cost of living.
Supporting the drive, movement member Polycarp Ruri encouraged Embu residents to take part in the exercise, saying the referendum would give citizens a direct voice in shaping taxation policy.
“This is our chance as citizens to influence tax laws through a referendum. We urge everyone in Embu to sign and be part of this process,” Ruri said.
Florence Kanyua, who is also an official with the movement, noted that many families are grappling with increased prices of everyday necessities and expressed optimism that constitutional reform could offer relief.
“When you see the signature document, sign it. One million signatures will give us the power to demand change through constitutional means,” Kanyua said.
She urged citizens to channel their frustrations into the signature drive instead of street protests, emphasising that constitutional mechanisms offer a more structured and lasting solution.
“The strongest demonstration is your signature. Let us use the law to demand reforms,” she said.
Organisers say they will continue mobilising communities, holding public forums, and engaging local leaders as the campaign moves from county to county.
If successful, the signature drive could set the stage for a major national debate on taxation, constitutional reform, and economic policy, placing the power of change directly in the hands of Kenyan voters.