Parliamentary Service Commissioner Johnson Muthama has criticised Azimio leader Raila Odinga for urging Kenyans to embrace civil disobedience and refuse to pay taxes.
Raila said the defiance would deny the Kenya Kwanza government taxes it needs for service delivery.
President William Ruto assented to the controversial Finance Bill, 2023 whose proposed tax measures will take effect on July 1, 2023.
The opposition led by Raila had called for amendments to the bill but the majority side in Parliament used its numerical advantage and shot down the proposal.
Raila on Tuesday called on Kenyans to refuse to pay the new taxes and deny the government revenue it intends to raise through the new tax measures.
He asked them to walk or car pool to work so as government misses out on the 16 per cent fuel levy on petrol.
Muthama, however, said that paying taxes is a patriotic duty and cautioned that boycotting it would hamper efficient service delivery.
"I would wish to remind the Azimio leadership that remittance of taxes is a patriotic duty and thus asking Kenyans to act otherwise is not only retrogressive but the same will also hinder effective service delivery,” Muthama said in a tweet on Wednesday.
He said if Kenyans can play their role in building the nation, President William Ruto’s government will be able to improve the economy.
"With President William Ruto having assented the Finance Bill, let's now give the government time to turn around the economy and this can only happen if all Kenyans play their role in building our country,” Muthama said.
He added that protests are regressive and detrimental to the future of the country.
The former Machakos senator called on the government to strive to seal loopholes which lead to theft and wastage of public resources.
Further, he urged leaders to be thoughtful and engage in bipartisan talks for the sake of Kenyans.
"I plead with all leaders to soften their hard stand and embark on bipartisan dialogue for the sake of our country because we do not have a spare country,” Muthama said.
“Let leaders put Kenyans' interests above their own.”
While calling for the civil disobedience, Raila said President Ruto will learn the hard way "never to mess with Kenyans".
“Ruto and all those who think like him are going to learn the painful way, never to mess with the people’s food, fuel and freedom,” Raila said.
He spoke on Tuesday during a public rally at the Kamukunji grounds in Nairobi.