Azimio’s Bid To Block Finance Bill 2023 Is Borne Out Of Political Vendetta, Malice

By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga

• Raila played the same card during the reigns of President Mwai Kibaki and his successor Uhuru Kenyatta and he never succeeded.
• This time, I want to give him free advise. The going is tougher. President Ruto and Deputy Rigathi Gachagua are hard nut to crack.
• Surely Hon Raila, how do you organize the uprising? Where or which location do you meet to plan?
• Dr Ruto and his deputy always receive the realtime intelligence reports.
• We know the constitutional mandate of the National Police Service (NPS) is to protect the lives of Kenyans and their properties as well as maintaining law and order. So, the officers will descend on you and nip your plans in the bud.

I have been following with keen interest the debate on the Finance Bill 2023. Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition leader Raila Odinga and his brigade are leading the onslaught against this Bill.

These proposals are punitive and uncalled for because they are designed to add a new burden to Kenyans who were already ‘overtaxed’.

Here, they would resort to playing the usual game of peddling propaganda and misleading Kenyans.

While taking cognizant of the fact that majority of Kenyans were ignorant and lacked civic education, they would seize this opportunity to sell their political agenda.

The campaign of casting President Ruto as the ‘enemy’ of the people would be hinged on two options.

One, to incite and mobilize Kenyans to participate in a civilian coup.

Raila played the same card during the reigns of President Mwai Kibaki and his successor Uhuru Kenyatta and he never succeeded.

This time, I want to give him free advise. The going is tougher. President Ruto and Deputy Rigathi Gachagua are hard nut to crack.

Surely Hon Raila, how do you organize the uprising? Where or which location do you meet to plan?

Dr Ruto and his deputy always receive the realtime intelligence reports.

We know the constitutional mandate of the National Police Service (NPS) is to protect the lives of Kenyans and their properties as well as maintaining law and order. So, the officers will descend on you and nip your plans in the bud.

Raila’s second card is to force President Ruto to share the government with him. Even here, I doubt Raila will have his way.

The two leaders have repeatedly vowed. There is no room for a ‘Nusu Mkate’.

Bwana Tinga (Raila), you developed a bad habit of forcing your way into government after losing the elections.

I am committed to address this problem once for all.

As an opposition leader, you understand your role. Stick to your lane.

It is worth to note this. Contrary to the impression by Azimio, Kenyans are not overtaxed.

Kenya’s taxation is pegged at 14 percent.

This is very low compared to other countries including advanced democracies where the tax collected from each citizen ranges between 40 to 50 percent.

Putting this aside, the question that keeps popping up in my mind is. If Raila could have won election and form the government, how did he expect to raise monies to implement lofty pre-election pledges contained in his manifesto?

This is while bearing in mind the government has money of its own. The state relies on three sources; taxation, foreign loans and grants.

Just like president Ruto, I’m sure Raila could have relied heavily on taxation to raise the money. Reason? This is only way out in terms of rebuilding and returning the economy back on track.

This explains why the economists would always caution the government against resorting to heavy and reckless borrowing foreign loans. If you do this, you definitely kill the economy.

What does this mean? The citizens will have to tighten thier belt. To manage thier anger, the government must rollout an intensive civic education programme.

A time has come to live within our means. This situation will not take long. In the next one year or so, you will start to put money in your pocket and smile all the way to bank. This should be part of what this education entails.

Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political analyst based in Nairobi

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About the Author

Joseph Mutua Ndonga

Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a Writer and Political Analyst based in Nairobi

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