- He reiterated that the signing happened despite majority of Kenyans and a number of legislators rejecting it.
- "True to his character as a dictator, Ruto proceeded as of Kenyans had not spoken and imposed punitive taxes on Kenyans without our consent," he said.
Image: ENOS TECHE
Azimio leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday criticised President William Ruto and the Kenya Kwanza regime for passing what he termed as punitive and unjust tax laws.
Quoting the Bible from Isaiah 10, Raila said Ruto used to love the verse expressing hopes but that changed.
Isaiah 10:1-3 says, "Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches?"
This was in relation to the recently signed Finance Act.
Speaking at the Kamukunji ground Raila said the approval and signing of the Finance Bill 2023 into law was an act of dictatorship, calling for Kenyans to repeal the new tax laws and partake in acts of civil disobedience to send a message to the Kenya Kwanza administration.
"What happened last week and yesterday is not just about the Finance Act. This is about the re-emergence of dictatorship under leaders who cut the teeth and hone the political skills in an infamous school of dictatorship," he said.
He reiterated that the signing happened despite the majority of Kenyans and a number of legislators rejecting it.
"True to his character as a dictator, Ruto proceeded as of Kenyans had not spoken and imposed punitive taxes on Kenyans without our consent," he said.
Raila pointed out that the voice of the people can only be ignored by a few in a democratic state.
The ODM leader, who has on various occasions said he was rigged out of the 2022 elections, said Ruto was "testing the limits of his illegitimate power."
"After stealing our elections last year, Ruto now thinks he can steal anything and get away with it," he added.
On Monday, Ruto made the Finance Bill 2023, a law after legislators approved tax measures aimed at raising the Sh3. 6 trillion budget.
On Wednesday, June 20, over 150 MPs voted in favour of the proposed Finance Bill, 2023, a move that Raila described as a betrayal to Kenyans.
The Bill passed after a third reading at the National Assembly.
This now means that from July 1, Kenyans will have to dig deeper into their pockets, to fund Ruto's first budget as Head of State.
The Sh3.6 trillion budget will be seeking to maintain a delicate balancing act between debt servicing and stabilising the economy.
In the budget proposals, Sh1.5 trillion has been earmarked for recurrent expenditure, Sh718 billion for development while Sh986 billion will go into servicing public debt.