Shollei: You will have to endure the current high cost of living for longer

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei has asked Kenyans to brace for and endure a few tough months before realising some change in terms of the high cost of living.

Shollei said that on Tuesday during an interview with a local TV station where she appealed to Kenyans to exercise patience before the impact of the Kenya Kwanza administration is felt.

She said hinted that it may take Kenyans between 3 to 12 months before they realise the Kenya Kwanza administration's efforts to lower the high cost of living currently being experienced in the country.

"We will have to tighten our belts, it's going to be a difficult time for the next 100 days to 12 months but Kenyas are going to see the fruits of some of the decisions in a year's time," Shollei said.

"We must preach to Kenyans to be patient, the pain is not going to go away immediately."

During the interview, Shollei defended President William Ruto’s move to remove the food subsidies.

Shollei noted the country is facing farming challenges and the prices of such food commodities as maize floor are still high.

However, she said the long-term solution will be to subsidise the price of fertiliser in order to increase production which will eventually reduce the cost of food.

"We are facing farming challenges, the price of unga is still high, but the long-term decision is to say 'let's subsidise fertiliser, increase the production then the price will naturally come down. it's a new move to impact the livelihoods of people and the impact is not going to be instant," Shollei said.


Shollei also added that subsidising commodities such as fuel is not sustainable.

“You can decide to subsidise fuel and everything but after a while, it is not sustainable and you are back to square one,” she said.


The Kenya Kwanza administration, during its campaign, promised to lower the cost of living for Kenyans within their first 100 days in office.