By Maximilla Wafula
In a scathing rejoinder to
recent criticisms from opposition figures, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA)
has dismissed claims of a manufactured fuel crisis as "deceitful and
amusing." In a formal statement issued from the Office of the Secretary
General, Senator Hassan Omar Hassan categorized the opposition’s narrative as a
calculated misrepresentation of global economic realities, accusing them of
exploiting geopolitical challenges for selfish political expediency. Senator
Omar emphasized that the current surge in fuel prices is a direct consequence
of energy market disruptions in the Middle East, rather than domestic policy
failures. He asserted that the government has moved aggressively to protect the
Kenyan consumer by deploying KSh 6.2 billion through the Petroleum Development
Levy to stabilize pump prices. Additionally, the reduction of Value Added Tax
on petroleum products from 16% to 8% has been instrumental in keeping prices at
the current retail rates, which would have otherwise spiraled to over KSh 230
per liter.
The Secretary General took
particular aim at the former Deputy President and former Attorney General
Justin Muturi, labeling their current dissent as a display of "political
conmanship." He reminded the public that both officials were instrumental
in the birth of the Government-to-Government (G-to-G) oil arrangement in 2023,
with the former DP receiving the first consignment and the former AG providing
the legal clearance. The UDA maintains that the G-to-G framework has been a
masterstroke in economic management, successfully eliminating the speculative
dollar demand that previously choked the Kenyan shilling. According to the
party, sticking to this framework prevented a recent attempt to import
substandard, overpriced fuel that would have cost the taxpayer significantly
more.
Rejecting calls for mass
action and the scrapping of the Affordable Housing Levy and National
Infrastructure Fund, the UDA labeled such proposals as "populist and
anachronistic." The party argued that dismantling these social safety nets
would sabotage long-term infrastructure development and job creation.
Expressing full confidence in Cabinet Secretaries Opiyo Wandayi and Lee
Kinyanjui, the UDA urged Kenyans to remain steadfast against "sensational
assertions" designed to cause public anxiety. The statement concluded by
reaffirming the government’s commitment to navigating international shocks
while prioritizing the inclusive development agenda of the nation.
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