The Anglican church of Kenya has called out president William Ruto’s administration accusing it of engaging in retoriek and excuses instead of putting deliberate efforts towards implementation of campaign pledges.
Addressing the media led by bishop Jackson Ole Sapit the leaders faulted the government shareholder Notion saying that all kenyans should be treated equally as the election period is long gone.
The cleric asked president Ruto to go slow on taxing Kenyans who have already been stretched with high taxes imposed on fuel and new levies introduced courtesy of the Finance Act 2023 like the mandatory Housing Levy.
“We demand that the government lives within its means and cuts down public operational expenditure. Such measures will undoubtedly encourage domestic and foreign investment,”
Ruto’s regime, through the Finance Act 2023, has increased the Value Added Tax charged on fuel from 8% to 16% making the commodity unaffordable.
The high cost of living has also become an issue of contention since Ruto took over and saw Opposition leader Raila called for nationwide protests
“The high increase in taxation noted on the VAT added on petrol is a source of concern for all. We believe it is imperative for the government to appreciate that Kenyan citizens are already stretched to their limits. “We must collectively accept that economic development cannot solely rely on taxation as its primary source of revenue,” Sapit explained.
The ripple effect caused by the highest fuel prices ever witnessed in the country has seen the cost of transport, both of goods and individuals increase and the prices of food commodities sharply spike to match the expenditure on petroleum products.
With the bipartisan talks underway Sapit discouraged political leaders from talking about the process adding that such utterances are likely to divide the country further