MP Robert Mbui slams Ruto’s teachers meeting as trick to win loyalty
By Aloys Michael, September 16, 2025Kathiani Member of Parliament (MP) Robert Mbui has criticised President William Ruto’s recent State House meeting with teachers, dismissing it as a political spectacle meant to manipulate public perception rather than address the pressing issues affecting the education sector.
Speaking in an interview on a local TV station on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, the MP questioned the true intent behind the gathering, which saw over 10,000 teachers converge at the State House.
“What kind of conversation or meeting or discussion can you have with 10,000 people? That is a Baraza, a public gathering, not a consultative meeting. There is absolutely no discussion you can have with such a crowd. They will just sit there and listen,” he said.
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“Let the President go back to doing his work. Teachers are not going to be fooled. If you want real engagement, meet with union leaders and have a structured dialogue. This showmanship must stop.”
The legislator argued that such events are designed purely for optics, aimed at showcasing supposed grassroots support for the regime.
“This is an old script. Politicians want to make everyone dependent on them by making people poorer, then dishing out handouts to win political loyalty,” he quipped.
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Mbui claimed that during the event, teachers were given Ksh10,000 each for the transport reimbursement, terming the entire episode as ill-thought-out and exploitative.
“Unfortunately, by the time they were done, it was late in the night. Some of them really struggled to get back to their homes,” he said.
Govt’s reality check
In his view, this pattern of empowerment programmes has become a tool for political control.
“What is happening is that people are being made poorer so they can be dependent on handouts. Boda boda riders are given Ksh200, Ksh300, and Ksh500. Women’s groups are also given small amounts,” he stated.
“But what is that when capitation for our children in school has dropped by Ksh6,000 per child per year? That is Ksh12,000 lost for two children. And then you give a handout of Ksh500?”
The MP accused the government of perpetuating economic hardship while masking the reality with tokenism. He cited broken promises from the campaign period, particularly around the bottom-up economic model.
“We were told we would have supermarkets in villages, and boda bodas would own vehicles. Three years later, it’s all been a pipe dream. Unfortunately, the lies continue,” he said.
The legislator also highlighted contradictions in the regime’s taxation policies.
“Before the election, Ruto and 30 or 40 MPs held a press conference about high fuel prices, saying our tax regime was the problem. But what did he do when he became president? He raised VAT on fuel from 8 per cent to 16 per cent and increased the road maintenance levy from 17 to 25 shillings per litre,” Mbui said.
The MP called out the president for abandoning campaign promises and pursuing policies that have made life harder for ordinary Kenyans.
“He has also introduced a minimum tax, increased PAYE, and changed the university funding model, making education more expensive. Kenyans are poorer as a result of this regime,” he said.