Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has urged President William Ruto to address the financial burden facing Kenyans or risk losing public support. Speaking during the launch of the first-ever bonus payments to sugarcane farmers in Mumias, Kakamega County, Salasya accused the president's advisors of withholding the truth about the state of the nation. "Mr.
President, I want you to take me as your advisor and pay me because your people don't tell you the truth.
They say SHA is working, but it's not," he said. Salasya criticised the heavy deductions on Kenyans' pay slips, calling for immediate intervention.
He suggested that prioritising the needs of citizens could secure Ruto's re-election bid. "If you do that, I will support you," he added. The event, attended by farmers and local leaders, was seen as a key step in the government's efforts to revive the struggling sugar industry. Ruto acknowledged the challenges plaguing the sector, including massive debts, mismanagement and dwindling productivity, which he said had left many farmers struggling. "No sugar factories will be privatised; they will remain in the hands of farmers," the president assured.
