National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has dismissed protests against the controversial Finance Bill, 2024 as a movement of privileged urbanites in Nairobi.
While questioning their understanding of the Bill, he accused the young protesters of being privileged with little understanding of hardship.
"The many you see protesting in Nairobi with iPhones, they call themselves GenZ, they come to the demonstrations in Uber, afterwards they go to KFC and eat chicken... they even drink bottled water. They do not understand what lacking electricity means like here in Eldama Ravine,” Mr Ichung’wah said.
He spoke on Friday at an event attended by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who is on a tour of Eldama Ravine and Kabarnet towns in Baringo County.
Mr Ichung’wah asked the protesting youth to understand the Bill, saying it was good for local manufacturing and to ensure budgeting for key things like education, electricity and roads.
“I want to tell the youths that whatever decisions we make, we make responsible decisions as leaders as opposed to in the past because they were afraid of making the right decision, but popular ones for their own vested interests. We want to secure your future by doing what is right,” said Mr Ichung’wah.
The majority leader indicated that they will not impose tax on locally manufactured products and want to levy taxes, import duty, and excise duty on goods imported from other countries.
Protesters engage police officers during Anti-Finance Bill demonstrations in Nairobi on June 20, 2024.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
“When we say we will not impose tax on locally manufactured goods, it's deliberate. We want to levy taxes, import duty, and excise duty on fully completed goods imported from other countries so that we can secure your future, we can encourage local manufacturers to manufacture from Kenya, create jobs and generate income for the young generation so that in the future, you become taxpayers and participate in the Nation building,” said Mr Ichung'wa.
In his speech, Mr Mudavadi defended the passing of the Finance Bill by MPs during its Second Reading on Thursday, insisting that the tax measures were a prerequisite for any government to operate and that Kenya will not operate without taxes and debts.
He noted that there is no other way a government can run without taxes or debts, and appealed to Kenyans to understand that the state has their interests at heart.
“Let’s be democratic as we are and know that the best way to reconstruct our economy is for us to generate and create more opportunities at home and to be able to borrow on a limited basis, but we cannot survive or live on debts, which you also do in your own homes. As a Kenyan, I must tell my fellow countrymen the truth.
Anti-Finance Bill protesters demonstrate on the streets of Kisumu on June 20, 2024.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
“Even if someone else takes over the Presidency today, there is no way he can run the country without debts or taxes. We only want to deal with corruption and those who are not paying taxes. We must not allow corruption to thrive and we must make sure that we go for the corrupt and make sure that everybody who is eligible to pay taxes does so,” he said.
