President William Ruto on Monday, December 25 faced online uproar over his earlier promise concerning the reduction of cooking gas (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) prices.
Notably, in March,2023, the head of state while delivering a speech promised to lower the price of cooking gas by June.
He further declared that he would direct for the removal of taxes imposed to make it affordable for Kenyans.
“Prices of gas will go down after we scrap off the taxes imposed on them,” he stated then.
In addition, Ruto promised that by June 2023, cooking gas cylinders would be retailing at Ksh300 or Ksh500.
However, the promise remains unfulfilled, months later during the festive season as the year comes to an end.
Unfulfilled Gas Prices’ Promise
Kenyans online came out to question why the promise from the head of state has not yet been fulfilled.
Also Read: Why Ruto’s Promise of Cheap Cooking Gas Remains Hot Air
Notably, the uproar comes at a time when most Kenyans are enjoying the festive season, which involves a lot of cooking, fun activities, and refreshments.
Haaland Sholla, a user on X reacted to the unfulfilled promise noting that if it had come true, the 6kg gas would be retailing at a mere Ksh500 now.
“6 kg Cylinder was to retail at 500Ksh according to William Ruto What happened?”, posed Sholla.
On the other hand, Magwaz, another X user reacted by claiming that the unfulfilled promise is not a good gesture from the head of state.
He stated, “It is very immoral for a president who claims to be a man of God to openly lie that a 6 kg cylinder will retail at Ksh300 then goes as if he never said anything.”
Additionally, another netizen named Cliff Muniko came out to claim that the promise from the government was just but a scam.
Another user further came out to call out both President Ruto and his supporters who he claimed get offended when people question the President’s actions.
“Ruto just lies unprovoked, then when we question his lies his supporters get mad. Why don’t they tell him to keep quiet so that we have nothing to question?” Posed Daniel Achar.
Also Read: How to Detect Original Cooking Gas Before Buying-EPRA
Furthermore, there were more mixed reactions as another user claimed that a filled 6kg cylinder is not the same as it used to be.
“6 Kg Cylinder used to take a comrade an entire semester. Nowadays it only takes a month. What is actually the problem?” Allan Obare noted,
President Ruto Clarifies LPG Prices
Notably, in May 2023, President Ruto stated that lowering cooking gas prices would not be possible without the Finance Act, 2023.
“We are only lowering the price of cooking gas cylinders to between Ksh300 and Ksh500 before you refill gas,” President Ruto clarified then.
“It will not be possible to reduce gas prices by June. This must first be approved in the Finance Bill 2023. If we had fixed this in the supplementary budget, then June 1 would have been the ultimate,” he added.