Many hustlers in central part of Kenya, especially in Nyeri county are now crying, saying the government of Kenya Kwanza is not helping them to reduce the high cost of living.
According to the majority who spoke with the media from different occupations, a boda boda rider, a carpenter, and a vegetable vendor, their businesses are experiencing the high struggles due to the high cost of fuels and levies.
They said that the government decision to increase fuel prices was a bad idea, adding that it will trigger inflation across the various sectors of the economy.
They noted that with the high fuel prices, the movement of goods and people in the country has also been affected.
“Life is very tough down here. They should ask us who are at the grassroots because we know how people are on our neck every day, so the issue of fuel should be looked into,” they said.
“Fuel is everything; if you tell me to bring food to a certain place, I must have fuel. President Ruto should look into that because now we cannot keep quiet about that,” they added.
Jackson (not the real name), a rider on one of the busy roads in Nyeri town informed the media that business is currently very low due to the high cost of fuel.
“Ni Kama tulijichimbia Kaburi kuchagua huyu mtu…Hana haja na mwananchi wa chini.
With the high cost of fuel, I have increased the cost of rides by almost Sh140, a trip that would initially cost Sh100 is now Sh200, leaving customers complaining that this is too high,” he said.
“On Monday, I carried just carried two people, unlike in the past where I would not lack more than 10 clients in a day,” he said.
He added that sometimes he forces himself to carry clients at lower fares despite the high fuel prices, fearing that he might end up losing out on business completely.
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