Kenyans have already began losing trust in President William Ruto and his government because of the policies he has began coming up with, especially on taxes, allies of the President from Mt Kenya have admitted.
Ruto is at loggerheads with Kenyans and opposition politicians because of his new tax proposals contained in the Finance Bill 2023, which they argue is punitive to the ordinary low income earning Kenyan popularly known as the Hustler.
Gatanga Member of Parliament Edward Muriu now says that Kenyans, including those in the Central Kenya region, no longer trust Ruto’s administration, hence their (Kenya Kwanza MPs from Mt Kenya) decision to be silent on the bill.
He has added that Ruto has disappointed Kenyans, who expected him to lower taxes when he comes in and not increase it, adding that even the MPs being pushed to pass the bill do not understand it.
“The public had hoped that once the Kenya Kwanza administration assume office, taxes will be reduced which is not happening, what they (Kenyans) don’t understand is that we found empty coffers and we need to address the economic situation first,” Muriu, the Secretary of Legal Affairs in Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, had told The Standard.
He has said that Azimio La Umoja leader Raila Odinga and his team have won on this one and have succeeded in convincing Kenyans that the bill is bad, defeating Ruto in the fight.
“The government must move with speed and restore the lost trust of the public so that they get assurance that money collected will be put to good use. It must deal with the corrupt people in government,” he is further quoted.
Guthunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has also opposed the same, saying that Kenyans are already suffering and cannot be taxed more, and is among the few government allied lawmakers openly opposed to the bill.
“The bill is punitive and oppressive to the same hustler who gave us the mandate of representing him in government. it must be reviewed so that leaders’ views are incorporated in the bill, our people are already hungry and we can’t tax them more,” she says.
