Former Unionist Faults Government for Overtaxing Kenyans, Calls for Major Workers’ Protest on Saba Saba
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Human rights activist and former unionist Dr. Isaac Newton Kinity has criticized the Kenya Kwanza government for what he describes as overtaxing Kenyans who are already struggling to make ends meet.
Addressing the press, Dr. Isaac noted that the 2024/2025 budget is even more questionable than the 2023/2024 budget. The former Secretary-General of the Kenya Civil Servants Union stated that the new budget has more discrepancies and will harm Kenyans.
He pointed out that passing the current Finance Bill 2024 would be outrageous and disastrous, potentially destroying the lives of millions of citizens.
“Kenyans are already stressed by William Ruto’s imposed high taxes and the high cost of living,” he stated.
Dr. Isaac argued that the Finance Bill currently under debate in Parliament has raised taxes and prices of many essential commodities, which will impoverish common Kenyans and hurt the few remaining investors in Kenya, as many have already left for neighboring countries to escape the government’s oppression.
Regarding the involvement of the IMF and World Bank, Dr. Isaac emphasized the need to inform these institutions that Kenya’s economic problems stem from rampant corruption, looting of public funds, misappropriation, and the extravagance of those in authority.
“I urge the IMF and World Bank to consult the Controller of Budget to understand the situation facing Kenya,” he stated.
He also noted that the Auditor General has raised concerns about the misappropriation of public funds.
Despite the government’s substantial borrowing, Dr. Isaac criticized President William Ruto for failing to show tangible results from the Kshs. 4.5 trillion borrowed in less than two years.
“His predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, borrowed Kshs. 6.7 trillion in his 10 years of reign and developed 11,000 km of tarmac roads, 250,000 affordable houses, many bridges, dams, and completed the port of Lamu, among other projects, without overtaxing Kenyans,” he stated.
According to Dr. Isaac, overtaxation has affected not only common Kenyans but also workers. He likened Kenyan workers to sheep left in the wilderness as prey for wild animals.
“Why would the representatives of workers allow President Ruto and Parliament to force the deductions of the affordable housing tax from workers’ salaries, knowing it was unconditional and workers opposed it?” he said.
He challenged worker representatives not to betray the workers and urged them to support and mobilize for the July 7, 2024, protest to force the Kenya Kwanza government to scrap the unconstitutional deductions of the affordable housing tax and refund the deducted amounts to the workers.
“The representatives of workers should join me in a relentless struggle to free Kenyan workers from William Ruto’s bondage of captivity and torture through exorbitant and unnecessary taxation,” he stated.
He added that the Kenyan government could only avoid the Grand March (protest) by overhauling the 2024 Finance Bill, scrapping the affordable housing tax, and refunding all money deducted from workers so far.
Dr. Isaac also called on the government to pay retired workers all their withheld dues and stop its intention to replace permanent and pensionable terms of service with contractual terms of service for Kenyan workers.
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