Human Rights activist and former Unionist Dr. Isaac Newton Kinity has faulted the Kenya Kwanza Government for what he terms is overtaxing Kenyans who are already struggling to make ends meet.
Addressing Press, Dr. Isaac noted that the 2024/2025 budget is questionable than the 2023/2024 budget.
The former Secretary General of the Kenya Civil Servants Union says the budget has more discrepancies and will hurt Kenyans.
He pointed out that passing the current Finance Bill 2024 will not only be outrageous but will be an awful actions that will destroy 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.
The former Unionist argues that the current Finance Bill already in Parliament for debate, has raised the taxes and the prizes of many essential commodities that will not only impoverish more the common Kenyans directly but it will also hurt few investors left in Kenya after most others left for Kenyan neighbors to escape the oppression of the Government.
On the issue of IMF and World Bank being in the mix of the whole issue on Finance Bill, Dr. Isaac said there is need for to bring to attention of IMF and World Bank that the economical problems facing Kenyans emanate from the rampant corruption of looting public funds, misappropriation of public funds and the extravagance of those in authority in Kenya.
“I urged the IMF and World Bank to consult the Controller of Budget in order to understand the situation facing Kenya,” he stated.
The former Unionist noted that Auditor General also raised concerns on misappropriation of public funds.
Despite the huge borrowing by government, Dr. Isaac called out President William Ruto for failing to show anything done with Kshs. 4.5 trillion borrowed in less than 2 years.
“His predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta borrowed Kshs. 6.7 trillion in his 10 years of reign and did development among them 11,000 Km tarmack roads, 250,000 affordable houses, many bridges, many dams, completed the port of Lamu and many other projects without overtaxing Kenyans,” he stated.
The overtaxation, according to the Unionist has not only affected common Kenyans, but workers too.
He points out that the Kenyan workers are living like sheep left in the wilderness as prey for consumption by 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 also well it was unconditional and workers had opposed it?” he said.
He challenged the representatives of workers not to betray workers.
According to him, the representatives of workers have a demanding obligation to support and to mobilize the workers for the July 7, 2024 protest inorder to force the Kenya Kwanza Government to scrap the unconstitutional deductions of the affordable housing tax and to force Kenya Kwanza Government to refund to the workers salaries in the name of affordable housing tax Levy.
“The representatives of workers should join me in a relentless struggling to free the Kenyan workers from the William Ruto’s bondage of captivity and torture through exorbitant and unnecessary taxation,” he stated.
He added that the Kenya Government would only save itself from the Grand March(protest) by overhauling the 2024 Finance Bill by scraping the Affordable housing tax and by refunding to the workers all the money that has so far been deducted from them in the name of affordable housing tax.
Dr. Isaac also calling on government to pay retired workers all their withheld dues and further stop it’s intentions to replace the permanent and pensionable terms of service with the contractual terms of service for the Kenyan workers.