Kenya Kwanza leaders scoff at opposition calls for tax boycott

President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance has criticised the tax boycott and mass demonstrations announced by opposition leader Raila Odinga to push the government to repeal the Finance Act.

Yesterday, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa sarcastically said car pooling advocated by Raila is a good idea since reduced fuel demand also exerts less pressure on the national imports bill of which fuel is a major component and could further stabilise the shilling against the dollar.

“A stronger shilling is good for the economy, I like the idea that the Azimio la Umoja leadership has once again changed the conversation. Let the leadership lead by example in what they are proposing and not leave it upon citizens alone,” said Ichungwa.

He challenged the Azimio leader to start walking to his various destinations instead of driving.

Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot said as a sign of commitment to their ‘bizarre and incoherent’ resolutions at Kamkunji grounds, Azimio leaders should forego their retirement perks running into millions of shillings.

He challenged Azimio leaders to lead by example by walking to their offices to avoid consuming highly taxed fuel.

“The Azimio leadership should lead from the front in this populist measures they are coming up with that they think will bring down the Kenya Kwanza government. We are waiting to see them standing to be counted. This should not be for ordinary Kenyans alone,” he said.

Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa asked the government to deal with Raila decisively, since he was becoming an economic bandit and that his activities that are tantamount to a felony.

Barasa maintained that the seeds Raila is planting among Kenyans need to be uprooted before they germinate since they are aimed at destabilising the Ruto administration that was popularly elected into office.

National Assembly Finance Committee Chairman Kuria Kimani said Azimio was being dishonest. He noted that Azimio MPs took part in the Finance Bill process in the august House to the end.

“Members of National Assembly from Azimio coalition joined their colleagues from Kenya Kwanza and participated in the Finance Bill 2023 process from the beginning to the end before voting was done where it was adopted by the House,” he said.

He said 42 counties have signed an MoU with the State Department of Housing on how they are going to implement the national housing plan by the government.

But Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said the Azimio leadership had decided to use the language Kenya Kwanza understands which is civil disobedience since it was wrong to overtax impoverished citizens.

“We have tried to talk to our colleagues from Kenya Kwanza Alliance to listen to Kenyans but they have ignored our pleas. That is why we are going to use the language that they understand, that of civil disobedience and demonstrations across the country,” said Sifuna.

National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi said the opposition will continue fighting for rights of Kenyans who have seen that the Kenya Kwanza administration does not mean well for them in just a few months.

National Assembly Deputy Minority Leader Robert Mbui said the Ruto administration should be prepared to face the wrath of Kenyans struggling to make ends meet and the stringent taxation measures will only serve to make their lives unbearable.

Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi asked citizens not to allow Kenya Kwanza get away with unpopular initiatives by embracing civil disobedience.

During the Kamukunji rally Raila asked Kenyans to picket until the Kenya Kwanza regime repeals the Finance Act 2023. He said the Azimio team will withdraw from the bipartisan talks since the government has proven to be insincere in negotiation.

Raila has asked Kenyans to name and shame MPs who voted in support of the Finance Bill 2023 in various social platforms.

He called on business owners to disable the Electronic Tax Register and employers to ignore statutory tax deduction so as to frustrate the government efforts of realising the new taxes

“The Kenya Kwanza regime does not deserve our obedience. We are headed back to the trenches to fight for our rights. This time we are united by the resolve to liberate the country from chains of this administration that does not care at all about the wellbeing of the 50 million citizens,” he said.