Were These Protests Being Sponsored, If Yes, By Who?

By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga

Worth Noting:

• The Chairman of Budget and Appropriation Committee Ndindi Nyoro had a few days earlier set the ball rolling when he unveiled a list of some of the taxes that would be dropped.
• They included proposed 16 percent VAT on bread; 2.5 percent motor vehicle tax. Eco levy will also be adjusted with baby pampers, sanitary towels and other products being zero-rated. But for Generation Z and millennial, Kenyans were being taken for a ride.
• Ndindi, the Kiharu MP, further stated: We have also listened to parents, guardians and other stakeholders in education sector. So, we have reinstated the school feeding programme. We have also allocated enough funds to employ Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.

Well, one of the renowned political analyst had alleged a foreign power was behind these protests.

But the organizers were quick to dismiss these claims. The protests had been held in 18 counties. Ask yourself. Is it possible to bankroll the members of Gen-Z in all these counties.

It is worth noting these protests started on a day that a financial report prepared by the chairpersons of the two powerful committees of the National Assembly namely Budget and Appropriation and Finance and National Planning was tabled in parliament.

The report had taken into consideration the views of Kenyans opposed to the Finance Bill 2024 collected during the public participation.

While tabling the report in parliament, the chairpersons listed a raft of proposed taxes and levies that had been termed as punitive.

As you can see in our report, we have clustered taxes in contention into three categories. We have removed some and we have proposed zero rating and exemptions on others.

Noting that the priority of this house is to safeguard the interests of Kenyans, we have no doubt our report will be adopted.

The Chairman of Budget and Appropriation Committee Ndindi Nyoro had a few days earlier set the ball rolling when he unveiled a list of some of the taxes that would be dropped.

They included proposed 16 percent VAT on bread; 2.5 percent motor vehicle tax. Eco levy will also be adjusted with baby pampers, sanitary towels and other products being zero-rated. But for Generation Z and millennial, Kenyans were being taken for a ride.

Ndindi, the Kiharu MP, further stated: We have also listened to parents, guardians and other stakeholders in education sector. So, we have reinstated the school feeding programme. We have also allocated enough funds to employ Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.

But for Generation-Z and millennial, Kenyans were being taken for a ride. The government gives with one hand and takes away with the other.

The protestors who carried placards and flyers with inscription ‘Occupy Parliament’ chanted anti-President William Ruto slogans.

This is not the first time we are witnessing this. Similar protests had rocked the country during the tenures of former Presidents Daniel Arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta.

During the public participation, many Kenyans reasoned; Yes, we agree paying taxes is a legal civic duty. However, some of the taxes contained in Finance Bill 2024 are very high. The burden will be too heavy particularly to the low income earners.

So, we recommend they should be reduced.

The Finance Bill 2024 has so far gone through the first reading and second reading.

It is now waiting to go through the third reading on Tuesday. The second and final voting for the Bill will take place on that day.

President William Ruto had earlier revisited the topic of taxation.

My critics were peddling a false narrative that Kenyans were paying highest taxes.

In the contrary, they were paying the lowest tax in the continent of Africa. It is currently capped at 14 percent.

In other countries of Africa, the tax ranges between 22 to 25 percent.

In Europe, he gave an example of France where the tax is capped at 45.

President Ruto further reiterated that he intended to increase the taxes. My plan is to leave the tax at 22 percent when my two terms come to an end in 2032.

President Ruto however noted. Constitutionally, the mandate to enact the Finance Bill is vested in Parliament. I hope the House will support me.

Turning to his critics, he noted that they would want Kenyans to believe that this would make them more poorer.

The opposite is the true position. Dr Ruto said his interventions are designed to ensure a faster growth of our economy.

This will herald in creation of more jobs in both formal and informal sectors. As such, Kenyans will put more money into their pockets and smile all the way to the bank.

Everyone of us has a duty to develop our country.

When I assumed office, the economy was in bad shape.

I said the pain of tightening your belt will be for a short time.

Today the cost of living is coming down. You are buying a 2kg packet of maize flour (Unga) at Sh100. When i took over, the price of the same packet was Sh230.

The prices of other essential commodities have also drastically come down.

In an article I had earlier written in this column, I zeroed in on a President Ruto’s speech during the ceremony organized by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to cerebrate and reward Kenyans who were paying their taxes in full and within the timelines stipulated in law.

The President minced no word in praising them for being a key pillar of enabling his government to deliver services to Kenyans.

The government does not have monies of its own and it majorly relies on these revenues.

With this in mind, the President noted. Without you, we will not be able to do the implementation. So, I salute and commend you. Indeed, you are our Mashujaa.

The previous government’s appetite of borrowing foreign loans was very high. This was hampering the growth of our economy. As such, I told you I will not follow that route. A time has come for us to live within our means.

I urge those who were not paying taxes to emulate these patriotic Kenyans, Mashujaa.

In the meantime he asked KRA to expand the scope of tax collection. This is by ensuring that all Kenyans were brought on board.

Having set the targets, you have a duty to meet them.

He however cautioned KRA against harassing Kenyans when collecting the taxes. You should handle this matter in a humane and respectable manner.

If a Kenyan is not willing to pay taxes, explain to them why it is important to pay and the gains they would reap.

Dr Ruto further noted. I know some of you fear that monies would be stolen by some greedy and corrupt state officials. This is because the previous administrations were associated with mega corruption scandals. Mark my words.

Under my watch, this will not happen.

Early this year, President Ruto became the first Kenyan head of state to personally file his tax returns at Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) headquarters in Nairobi.

At the time, he challenged KRA to pull up their socks.

As a country, we are facing a serious financial crisis and this has incapacitated our job of delivering services to the people of Kenya.

He vowed to deal firmly with KRA rogue officials.

Your days are numbered. I know some of you do not mean well for the country. You are out to sabotage my administration.

At the time the president fall short of saying some of KRA officials owed loyalties to his political opponents and they were serving their interests.

If you don’t meet the targets, the message is clear. You want me (President) to resort to imposing more taxes to Kenyans and borrowing foreign loans. In so doing, you hand my opponents political fodder to fight me.

President Ruto is facing challenges similar to those encountered by his predecessors- Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta.

For President William Ruto, I have no reason to doubt his commitment to slay the dragon of corruption.

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