We have reduced food prices – Ruto
President William Ruto has today said that the government has reduced the price of food commodities.
Ruto, while speaking during the National Prayer Breakfast at the Safari Park hotel, thanked God saying he had reduced food prices.
“We have by the grace of God now reduced the price of food commodities, we are however yet to solve the problem of unemployment.” the president said.
Proposed taxes
His statement comes amid debate on the proposed Finance Act 2024, which proposes taxes on bread and milk.
The bill proposes a 16 per cent VAT on the products which are currently exempted.
Kenya’s debt burden saw the government raise taxes on household items such as cooking gas, food, and fuel, raising protests from Kenyans who continue lamenting the high cost of living.
Ruto further thanked God for answering Kenya’s prayer for rains, pointing out that God answered the national prayers led by First Lady Rachel Ruto on Valentine's Day.
“A few months ago we had a drought that decimated 2.5m heads of livestock. For the first time, we were trucking water for wildlife. We went to Nyayo Stadium and prayed and God gave us rains. Today we have enough food in Kenya. It is amazing what God can do," Ruto said.
"Sometimes we may want to believe that maybe it was our doing, and maybe surely we did. Maybe we made fertilizer available, maybe we made seeds available, maybe we supported farmers, but that would have come to nothing if God had not given us rain.” 
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network has, however, warned that six counties in Northern Kenya face an emergency food situation. The counties, Turkana, Marsabit, Isiolo, Wajir, Mandera, and Garissa have a cumulative population of nearly 5 million and face the risks of hunger even as rains continue in most parts of the country.
Torrential rains have also caused massive losses in many high-risk areas across the country, further worsening the food situation.
Investment in ICT
The president further reiterated the government’s position on investing in the ICT industry, urging Members of Parliament to take advantage of the CDF kitty to foster digital investment.
“We have set our target on the digital space to create jobs, I was in Ruiru, where we launched an ICT hub that is hiring 5,000 Kenyans. I was very proud to see them working. Every member of parliament has an opportunity to replicate that in every constituency in Kenya.” Ruto said in his address.
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