Cost of living unbearable, Coast women leaders lament
By Harrison.Kivisu, March 9, 2023Women leaders have asked the government to stop giving excuses and instead deal with the high cost of living.
Speaking at a media briefing yesterday at Maugunja grounds during the International Women’s Day celebrations, Likoni MP Mishi Mboko said the cost of living had become unbearable for families with meagre resources.
“The government must walk the talk. We cannot continue to live like this,” said Mboko (pictured).
Mboko said women and children suffer the most when the cost of living skyrockets.
“We are asking the government to honour the bottom up pledge by ensuring that Kenyans have money in their pockets. The suffering is so dire, even worshipers in churches do not have money to give tithes and offerings,” said Mboko.
Shimanzi Member of the County Assembly Priscilla Mumba asked the government to subsidize or give tax incentives on basic food products to ease the cost burden.
Subsidised commodities
“We are celebrating but we are hungry. We want the commodities to be subsidised so that the cost of food can come down. We are asking the President to lower the cost of unga,” said Mumba.
She urged the government to improve the lives of women by creating more opportunities.
The leaders also weighed in on the two-thirds gender rule principal and asked the government to ensure it is achieved.
President William Ruto maintained that his administration will not reintroduce subsidies on petroleum products and maize flour, saying the subsidies were unsustainable and had been abused to benefit a few well-connected businesses.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics says the cost of a two-kilogramme packet of maize flour has increased by 32.2 per cent, over the past 12 months and is now retailing at over Sh200.