Kiunjuri faults Azimio leadership for opposing the Finance Act 2023

Nanyuki Sunday July 2, 2023

KNA by Muturi Mwangi

Laikipia East Member of Parliament Mwangi Kiunjuri has criticized Azimio la Umoja Coalition for opposing Finance Act 2023 which was set to take effect Saturday after President Dr. William Ruto’s assent.  

The MP speaking in Nanyuki during a National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) registration exercise said that the Azimio la Umoja coalition should provide alternatives on how to raise revenue without taxation.

He noted that Kenya had reached the debt ceiling and could not borrow any further leaving the only way to raise revenue being through taxation.

“Government coffers are empty, and with a lot of debt, even money for paying salaries is lacking. We have over-borrowed to the limit; we can save ourselves through taxation. There is no one to lend us money now,” said the legislator.

The legislator called on Azimio la umoja leadership to stop blaming the government for over-taxation through staging demonstrations but rather to develop a better finance bill than what Mr. Ruto tabled in Parliament demonstrating how they would collect taxes and at the same time manage the government.

"You can’t come in to blame the government and yet you’re not offering a solution. All we are asking Azimio la Umoja leadership led by Raila Odinga is to table their finance bill explaining how they would raise money to run the government,” said Kiunjiri.

He pointed out that only through well-explained strategies on how to collect taxes should the Azimio leadership lament that the government was punishing Kenyans through over-taxation.

The Service Party leader revealed that the over-taxation was for a short while and within three years; the government would have stabilized its economic status.

Kiunjuri’s sentiments come a day after the Finance Act 2023 was halted to take effect through an order issued by the high court that argues the Finance Act was founded on Illegality and therefore infringes on the constitution.

The orders were issued yesterday by Justice Mugure Thande after Busia Senator Okiya Omtata challenged the Act that the senate was not involved. The second application was filed by Peter Agoro and the matter is set to be mentioned on July 5.

A Nanyuki-based resident Simon Kinyua has also supported the Finance Act 2023 noting that the government works through taxation since time immemorial, however, appealed for the tax to be used prudently.

Courtesy ; K. N. A