Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna now says that President William Ruto's economic policies are causing misery to many Kenyans.
Speaking on Thursday, Sifuna said Kenya needs leaders who have empathy and also listen to the cries of their people.
The Senator who was reacting to stories on Kenyan dailies insisted that the current crop of leaders do not listen to the cries of Kenyans.
"The newspapers are absolutely depressing today. The economic policies of this regime are causing untold misery to Kenyans of all walks of life. We need to have leaders at the helm who have some empathy and who hear the cries of those they lead. What we have now is far from that," Sifuna said on X.
His remarks come against the backdrop of the rising cost of living in the country.
Kenyans have been raising concerns over the Kenya Kwanza administration's continued measures that have raised taxes for various commodities in the country.
Since Ruto became President, several taxes have been imposed on Kenyans including a 1.5 per cent housing levy on gross salaries, a 5 per cent withholding tax on local digital content creators, and a turnover tax on enterprises making gross sales of between Sh1-Sh25 million.
Another 16 per cent value-added tax on petroleum products, excise duty on gaming and betting and Pay-As-You-Earn tax bands at 32.5 per cent and 35 per cent for income between Sh500,000 and Sh800,000 a month and income above Sh800,000 respectively.
Sifuna was among Azimio leaders who were at the forefront during the anti-government protests a few months ago.
The protests were called off to give a chance to the National Dialogue Committee to come up with a solution to issues the Opposition had raised.
During the protests, Sifuna had insisted that demos would only end when President William Ruto repeals the Finance Act, 2023, but this has not happened.
"We want to tell President William Ruto that if he does not repeal the Finance Act, 2023, people will not leave the streets," he said.
