New Kenyan president faces uphill challenge to deliver

Significance

Most notably, the president promised to reinvigorate the economy through a bottom-up approach that rewards Kenya’s “hustlers” -- those who must work and ‘hustle’ for a living. Support for his Kenya Kwanza alliance may quickly dissipate if the president cannot deliver.

Impacts

• Regional food shortages and global instability mean food and fuel prices are unlikely to fall any time soon.
• Despite Ruto’s talk of spending cuts, the need to deliver early successes means expenditures are unlikely to decline.
• Given that Ruto lacks a strong base in the capital, Nairobi, a failure to improve living standards could trigger protests.