- Azimio commits to reject any increase in taxation.
- The opposition also urged Senators to shoot down the Affordable Housing Bill.
Image: HANDOUT
Azimio la Umoja on Thursday warned Kenyans to prepare for tough times ahead, claiming the Budget Policy Statement being processed in Parliament will double taxes.
The opposition chiefs said Kenyans should be ready for a new wave of taxation that would worsen the economic situation.
Led by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, they said economic proposals, policies and strategies are unachievable as contained in the BPS, 2024.
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.
The policy document, they claimed, is proposing advance tax on goods and services supplied to government, loading VAT on educational services, which will see a rise in school fees.
The document, they say, comes with 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 Sh27,000 per adult Kenyan.”
The Wiper boss said Azimio will go to any length to block the passage of the BPS to shield Kenyans from what he termed "looming danger".
"The Budget Policy Statement is meant to prolong and worsen the suffering by Kenyans. We commit to reject any further punitive taxation imposed on Kenyans by the regime in the name of economic transformation," he added.
Kalonzo spoke after chairing the Azimio Summit meeting at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation in Nairobi.
The meeting was attended by National Assembly Minority leader Opiyo Wandayi, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, former presidential candidate George Wajackoya, and former governors Mwangi Wa Iria (Murang'a) and Ndiritu Muriithi (Laikipia).
The opposition also voiced concerns on the Affordable Housing Levy Bill, 2023, that was on Wednesday passed by the National Assembly.
The Bill has since been transmitted to Senate for concurrence.
Kalonzo said lawmakers who voted for the Bill are traitors who chose to push Kenyans to the edge through punitive taxation.
“As the Affordable Housing Levy Bill, 2023, moves to the Senate, we once again ask the senators from across the political divide to be patriotic and reject this Bill. It is a bad Bill for the people of Kenya,” Kalonzo said.
On Wednesday, opposition MPs staged a walkout as those allied to Kenya Kwanza voted to railroad the Bill through the third reading.
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.
"Azimio filed several amendments, some yesterday and some today morning. Unfortunately, it looks like there are some instructions from Kenya Kwanza regime that this Bill be passed without amendment," Minority Whip Junet Mohamed said.