Mama Mboga Who Trusted His Bottom-Up Promise Is Now Paying The Price – Milicent Omanga On Ruto

Former nominated Senator Millicent Omanga has taken aim at President William Ruto over the rising cost of doing business, accusing his administration of frustrating the very small traders it promised to uplift through the Bottom-Up economic model.

In a pointed criticism, Omanga questioned the government’s new requirement compelling importers to obtain marine cargo insurance from locally licensed insurers before their goods can be cleared.

She raised concerns about traders who had already purchased insurance from overseas, questioning whether they would now be forced to pay for a second policy to comply with the new rules.

According to Omanga, the requirement risks piling additional costs on businesses already battling high taxes, expensive operations and dwindling profit margins.

She warned that small traders could ultimately pass the extra expenses to consumers, leaving ordinary Kenyans to bear the burden through higher prices.

Omanga revisited Ruto’s 2022 campaign promise, when mama mbogas, small-scale traders and hustlers were presented as the foundation of his economic transformation agenda.

She questioned how an administration that campaigned on empowering ordinary Kenyans could introduce measures that, in her view, make it increasingly difficult for small businesses to survive.

The former senator argued that Bottom-Up was supposed to create opportunities and reduce the economic pressure on struggling households, not introduce more obstacles for people trying to earn a living.

Her criticism took a political turn when she declared that the controversial policy was among the reasons she wanted Ruto out of State House.

She ended her statement with a stinging alteration of the President’s flagship economic slogan, saying: “Hii si Bottom-Up tena. Ni Bottom-Down!”

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