Azimio la Umoja led by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, have warned that Kenyans should be ready for a new wave of taxation that would worsen the economic situation. They claim the Budget Policy Statement (BPS) being processed in Parliament will double taxes.
BPS is a government policy document that sets out the broad strategic priorities and policy goals to guide the national and the county governments in preparing their budgets for the subsequent financial year.
They argued that the policy document proposes implementing advance tax on goods and services supplied to the government, along with imposing VAT on educational services. This move is anticipated to result in an increase in school fees. Additionally, the document introduces new taxes on agricultural produce.
“If BPS is anything to go by, Kenyans must tighten their belts because Kenya Kwanza is coming for them in new wave of taxation,” Kalonzo said.
“To the ordinary Kenyans, the mama mbogas, boda boda riders and mjengo people, the regime is coming again with a double taxation plan with increased taxes of approximately KES 27,000 per adult Kenyan.”
The leader of the Wiper party stated that Azimio is prepared to take any necessary measures to prevent the passage of the BPS in order to protect Kenyans from what he referred to as ”looming danger”
The opposition also voiced concerns on the Affordable Housing Levy Bill, 2023, that was on Wednesday passed by the National Assembly. Kalonzo asserted that legislators who supported the Bill are betrayers who opted to subject Kenyans to severe taxation, pushing them to the brink.
The Raila Odinga troops accused Speaker Moses Wetang’ula of dictating to them how to prosecute the Bill. The Azimio compatriots stormed out of the chamber after their amendments were not considered. The Bill has since been transmitted to Senate for concurrence.
