On September 13, 2022, President William Ruto took the oath of office as Kenya’s fifth president, with a raft of ‘good promises’, but one year on, he has scored a C plain rating, with his deputy Rigathi Gachagua managing a performance rating of 47% in a recent poll released by Infotrak.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki took the best minister spot with a score of 59%, followed by Education’s Ezekiel Machogu at 55%, as Transport’s Kipchumba Murkomen, Agriculture Mithika Lintui and Health’s Susan Nakhumicha all recording an average performance of 53%.
The poll, which comes amid soaring price of goods and services, indicates that the country is on the wrong track economically.
“The survey covered all the 47 counties and 8 regions of Kenya,” the firm’s chief executive Angela Ambitho, said.
While President Ruto has emphasized his efforts to reduce the cost of living and improve the economy, 53% of Kenyans polled believe the country is moving in the wrong direction.
“Issues of the high cost of living, unemployment, and poor governance are some of the concerns that make Kenyans say that the country is heading in the wrong direction,” Ambitho said.
To many “hustlers”, Ruto is yet to deliver on economic transformation, and empowerment agenda. Since taking office, he has faced criticism, especially on matters taxation, with the recently enacted Finance Act 2023, which introduced various taxes, sparking anger and frustration among some Kenyans.
