Out of touch: 'Hustlers' say Mbadi's Sh4.8tn plan won't uplift their lives

They termed it a budget for the elite, with little deliberate plans to cushion the ordinary Kenyan from the high cost of living.

As Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi unveiled next financial year's Sh4.8 trillion Budget, ordinary Kenyans were concerned about their next meal and how to settle their pressing bills.

Many expressed deep disappointment, arguing that the proposals appear tailored more to support President William Ruto’s re-election campaign through flagship projects.

Unlike previous budget readings that drew excited crowds to entertainment joints and prompted families to rush home to watch live broadcasts, this year’s event was met with widespread indifference.

Across the country, the 2026/2027 spending plan was met with apathy, frustration, and resignation. For the majority, the real concerns remained putting food on the table, paying school fees, settling mounting bills, and surviving another day in an economy that feels increasingly hostile to the working poor.

In Nairobi, Jackline Mboya, a mother of two who operates a boiled eggs business along Landhies Road, reported to her workstation at 6am, equipped with her food trolley, charcoal, eggs, and fresh kachumbari.

As Mbadi read out the proposals, Mboya had hoped for tangible measures that would reduce the cost of basic commodities. 

“The last three years have been tough. A tray of eggs that I used to buy at Sh360 now goes for Sh480. Life is becoming unbearable,” she said.

To keep her eggs warm throughout the day, Mboya uses three small tins of charcoal, each costing Sh150. She pleaded with the government to reduce fuel costs, saying this would have a trickle-down effect on the prices of essential items.

Her daily battle mirrors that of thousands of other small-scale entrepreneurs. Nearby, jua kali artisan Dan Omondi from Kayole painted an even bleaker picture. Once able to pocket up to Sh5,000 in a good day, Omondi now struggles to make Sh500.

“Some days we have absolutely nothing, and right now, we cannot even afford to keep our children in school. The jua kali sector is collapsing because we cannot even afford the raw materials to make our products,” he lamented.

Aggressive taxation and rising input costs, he argued, are forcing many artisans to abandon their trades or seek unreliable casual labour.

At the Bus Station, shoe shiner Paul Mwanzi shared similar frustrations. Once serving around 100 customers daily and earning up to Sh3,000, his business has shrunk.

“Today I make about Sh600 on a good day. Some people who used to come for a shoe shine twice a day have stopped,” he said.

Charging Sh30 per pair, Mwanzi noted that the little he earns is barely enough to feed and educate his two children. “President Ruto focused on unnecessary projects, forgetting the common mwananchi. He should rethink the affairs of Kenyans,” he urged.

In Kisumu, fruit vendor at the Kibuye Market Moses Aloo claimed the budget process had been heavily politicised. “It has been prepared to take care of the interests of the political class. How do you explain less expenditure on education but significant allocations on flagship projects?”

Another trader, Maurine Mauru, who attended public participation exercises, described them as little more than campaign platforms for President Ruto.

At the Coast, business stakeholders raised technical concerns. Importers and exporters, under the Shippers Council of East Africa (SCEA), opposed the proposed 16 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on aircraft spare parts, alongside the re-introduction of the Railway Development Levy and Import Declaration Fee.

SCEA boss, Agayo Ogambi, warned that these measures would increase operational costs across the air cargo supply chain, raise freight rates, and ultimately threaten food security by raising costs for farmers.

“The combined effect of VAT, IDF, and RDL creates multiple tax burdens that will negatively impact the affordability and competitiveness of Kenyan air cargo services,” Ogambi stated.

The group highlighted risks to key export sectors including horticulture, floriculture, pharmaceuticals, and seafood. They expressed fears that airlines and operators might relocate maintenance activities and cargo consolidation to neighbouring countries like Ethiopia and Rwanda, which offer more competitive fiscal environments.

Car Importers Association of Kenya Chairman Peter Otieno called for more moderate adjustments, proposing excise duty pegged at 20 per cent across the board instead of 25-35 per cent, import duty at 25 per cent, and retaining VAT at 16 per cent to spur business recovery.

In the building and construction sector, David Jomeli in Mombasa described the budget as bullish for volume, citing Sh217 billion for roads and Sh64.5 billion for affordable housing, plus the settlement of Sh70 billion in pending bills that had previously boosted sector growth from 2.9 per cent to 10 per cent.

However, he advised stakeholders to closely monitor steel and cement levies, VAT changes, and compliance with the National Building Code 2024.

In Kakamega County, boda boda rider Boniface Ibenzi expressed alarm at the sheer size of the budget.

“The budget of Sh4.8 trillion is way too high. We are likely to see the prices of fuel and other essential goods rise, making life even harder for ordinary Kenyans,” he said, views echoed by Victor Odinga from Busia.

He called on the government to prioritise affordable fuel, job creation, and targeted support for small businesses.

In Nakuru, fellow rider Patrick Njumbi argued that current fuel taxes remain excessive despite the reduction of VAT to eight per cent, noting that increased pump prices are passed on to customers.

Another resident, John Oduor, criticised the continued high expenditure on the Presidency while school capitation remains below Sh100 per learner.

In Uasin Gishu, Kenya Farmers Association Director Kipkorir Menjo described the Sh64 billion allocation to agriculture as inadequate, falling far short of the 10 per cent recommended by the 2003 Maputo Declaration. While he welcomed the inclusion of fertiliser and seed subsidies, Menjo criticised persistent delays in procurement and distribution.

“We are asking the Ministry of Agriculture to work with the private sector so that farmers can redeem their subsidy vouchers at local agro-chemical outlets near their farms,” he proposed.

Analyst William Onyonje echoed these sentiments, noting that while the Treasury avoided raising baseline tax rates on services such as mobile money transactions and is relying on technology to widen the tax net, the heavy debt servicing burden and perceived disconnect from citizens’ realities have attracted sharp criticism from civil society, the opposition, and the general public.

As Parliament begins debating the budget estimates, anxiety remains high across the country. Many Kenyans continue to wonder whether the ambitious Sh4.8 trillion spending plan will translate into any tangible relief or simply deepen the economic pressures they face daily.

Report by Pkemoi Ng'enoh, Victor Budi Benard Lusigi, Mary Imenza, Willis Oketch, Patrick Beja, Philip Mwakio, Anne Atieno, Kennedy Gachuhi and Stephen Rutto