Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party has fiercely criticized the current taxation policies of President William Ruto’s administration as “unreasonable and unsustainable”, while warning it will resist any attempts to undermine the implementation of the NADCO report aimed at reducing electoral violence.
In a strongly-worded statement from the party’s top decision-making “Summit” on Monday, Azimio leaders accused the “Kenya Kwanza regime” of failing to govern with care and compassion for ordinary Kenyans. “The tax burden being borne by Kenyans is unreasonable and unsustainable,” said the statement, listing multiple tax measures the party opposes.
“Paying taxes should never be a punishment but a patriotic duty. Under the Kenya Kwanza regime, taxation is a punishment that is hurting the entire economy,” it added.
Among the specific tax policies slammed were the “16 per cent tax on petroleum products”, the new “housing tax and its colonial undertones that make it look like the infamous hut tax of the colonial era”, high PAYE rates on workers, taxation of pensions, and taxes imposed on farm produce.
“We encourage our farmers to resist this tax,” declared the statement, saying the plan to tax agricultural sales is “unreasonable and cruel”.
The statement also voiced “deep” opposition to any efforts to dilute or delay implementing recommendations from the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report. The report outlined a roadmap to address electoral violence and political divisions.
“We have been informed of forces in Kenya Kwanza, in and outside parliament, who are determined to undermine the report,” warned the statement. “We notify those forces that should any efforts to undermine or tamper with the report succeed, there will be a very heavy price to pay.”
It urged President Ruto to “rein in the Speakers of the two houses of Parliament and a number of members of the National Executive who are hell-bent to derail NADCO.”
The meeting also affirmed Azimio’s support for party leader Raila Odinga’s bid to become chairperson of the African Union Commission, calling it “in the best interest of the country and the East African Community”.
“We very much appreciate the support of our neighbours and those from across the continent have extended to Rt. Hon. Odinga,” the statement said. “We agree this is not a partisan political issue but a matter of national pride and image.”
