By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Veteran opposition leader in Kenya, Raila Odinga has reacted to the recent tax increases by the country’s parliament with a call on his supporters for a nationwide civil disobedience, a move targeted at forcing the government to reverse the policy he called “extortion”.
While addressing his supporters in the capital, Nairobi, Odinga, who was runner-up in last year’s presidential election, also called for a revival of mass protests against the government led by President William Ruto.
“We must punish the traitors. We must repeal the finance bill,” he told thousands of his supporters.
The call came few days after the newly enacted finance bill was signed into law by President Ruto.
The new law raises the value-added tax on fuel products from 8% to 16%.
It also introduces a 1.5% housing levy on employees’ basic pay, which will be charged to both the employer and the employee. The money is supposed to go to a fund to construct homes for the less well off.
“Through civil disobedience, we will deny Ruto the taxes he thinks he can extort from us by force. We are taking back our power,” Odinga said.
He appealed to public transport operators to increase the carrying capacity of their vehicles to cover the higher operational costs, while also urging police officers to permit overloading of the vehicles.
Odinga also outlined a way to “embrace tax boycotts” including limiting petrol consumption through carpools to reduce the collection of taxes from fuel.
He also requested that employers disregard the “punitive” tax deductions, including the controversial 1.5% housing levy.
In defending the new policy however, President Ruto said the housing fund seeks to build affordable homes for low-income individuals and generate job opportunities.
