By Arch Dr. D.K Gitau
For The Diaspora Times.
President(former) Uhuru Kenyatta made a Statement last year to the effect that Kenya loses 2 billion per day through corruption.
Many thought it was a joke, but the same was the whole truth as the Government loses money through the many payment vouchers ranging from taking an off to attend a fake Government function, ghost workers, to the many fake contractor’s variation orders approved to hike ongoing projects.
The Government of President William Ruto’s suggestion of taxing its poor Citizen, is not well thought out as the same- will lead to the rich passing on their burdens to the poor.
The Government wants to deduct 6% from every salaried employee’s salary to go to the NSSF. They also want to increase the deductions that go to the NHIF significantly. Parliament will also start a legislation process that will bring into effect a 30% rental income tax which Landlords will obviously pass on to the tenants. It means that all rents will be increased by the same percentages and thus burdening the poor people even further.
The Government further suggestion of taxing poor people in rural areas and in effect, property tax, is absurd and nothing else but same as the hateful and dreaded “hut tax” introduced by the colonial era British people who terrorized the poor Kenyans in villages and the eventual genocide that resulted to mass displacement.
This will mean that the poor who cannot pay taxes- will eventually lose their ancestral land and the same bought by the rich who can afford it. The whole idea of bottoms up, is no more since the Government has not even embarked on delivering the promises like the NHIF cards they vowed to give all poor Kenyans by December.
The Hustler Government with no clear Manifesto like Jubilee, started showing its dictatorial tendencies similar to the rule of Dictator Moi- immediately after they were sworn in office.
One hundred days are almost over, and nothing has been done yet to show commitment to improving the lives of the poor people that voted in large numbers for a Government they believed was serious about uplifting the lifestyle of the poor people.
The ideas and vows they made during the campaigns period- are nothing but fantasy dreams that will slowly be forgotten as times go on- making many to despair and regret why they voted for a Government that will only increase their troubles.
Many will say we give them time, but if early signs shows a focus on taxing the poor to help develop the country, we can only conclude that Kenyans especially the poor will likely face tough days ahead.
