By Arnold Ageta
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has faulted the Kenya Kwanza government over what he termed as a taxing government following the adoption of the Affordable Housing Levy Act.
Kalonzo has said that Kenya is in big trouble because people have been lied to, but it has reached a time when the dignity of the country needs to be saved.
“When they (Kenya Kwanza) took power, they promised that their government would be made up of ordinary Kenyans,” he said. “Kenya has become a taxing country without considering the challenges the citizens face.”
He further said that there is no other country in the world that has been burdened with tax like Kenya.
“This tax system is what will make William Ruto a one-term president. He will not be re-elected,” he declared.
Addressing residents of Nyamira after opening the Wiper Party office in the county, Kalonzo blamed the forced taxes in the country, saying the government should seek means and ways to develop the country without burdening Kenyans.
He asked the president to lower taxes and the cost of living to lessen the suffering of mama mbogas and bodabodas, who have been hit the hardest by the current high cost of living.
Wiper Party candidate in the last general elections, Ben Momanyi, joined Kalonzo in condemning the government, saying the government has let the people down.
Ben Momanyi noted that Kenyans have been lied to on several occasions with empty promises that the government would be comprised of mama mbogas, bodabodas.
“Let me ask you, in Ruto’s cabinet who is mama mboga? Do we have any? Is Musalia Mudavadi a mama mboga?” he asked. “Who do we have from the bodaboda industry?”
Echoing the same sentiments, DAP Party leader Eugene Wamalwa said the only business the government is doing is increasing taxes day and night.
He said the increase of VAT on fuel from eight to sixteen per cent, making fuel sell at more than 200 shillings, has made fuel unaffordable for bodaboda operators in the country.
“Most of their income goes to fuel and very little for domestic use, and it is worse that even salt and matchbox costs have gone up,” he told the crowd. “That is why we are telling Ruto, enough is enough.”
He raised concerns that the Kenya Kwanza government has even struck at the kitchen of families after the increment of tax on milk and bread.
They want the struggling families to miss breakfast, a big reason why “we say Zakayo must come down from the tree.”
Kalonzo called the Kenya Kwanza government a comical government that sells rocks in the name of subsidized fertilizers, emphasizing the need to save our country.
He was referring to claims raised by Africa Uncensored documentary that indicated that most subsidized fertilizers were not actually fertilizers but rocks.
On the doctors’ strike, Kalonzo said that they have a right to pay, but the government has ignored their plight.
“Instead of paying them, the government is increasing allocations to some departments, leaving out the health department,” he said. “This is almost a week since they went on strike, and nobody cares as patients suffer.”
Eugene Wamalwa hit at the government on the same issue, saying it is worrying that patients are suffering in hospitals because doctors are on strike.
“We want to tell President Ruto and his Kenya Kwisha (Kwanza Kwanza) government, that you cannot claim that you do not have KSh. 4 billion for doctors,” he told the crowd. “It is shocking that the government lacks money to pay doctors yet they can afford to set aside money to recruit Cabinet Administrative Secretaries (CASs).”
He said, “There’s no way you can afford to award political losers and lack money to pay doctors, and the 47 counties are lacking health services.”
Wamalwa took the opportunity to drum support for Kalonzo’s presidency come 2027 as Raila Odinga seeks African Union leadership.
“We want to assure you that as Raila goes to Addis Ababa, he has left behind a great strong Azimio coalition under Kalonzo, Martha Karua, and Eugene Wamalwa,” he said.
Kalonzo said that during his time as the Vice President of Mwai Kibaki (2008-2013), Kenya’s economy was at 7 percent GDP.
“People from the mountain have changed their minds. They say they were misused to vote for the government that turned out to be a fox wearing sheep’s skin: the tax collector,” he said.
Kalonzo said he supports devolution because it is his product in collaboration with Kibaki and Raila.
“Now the government of Kenya Kwanza wants to bring down devolution, but we cannot allow that,” he emphasized. “Devolution must be strengthened.”
“We have now opened the Wiper Party office in Nyamira. If the Wiper Party, ODM, Jubilee, and DAP become strong, we will remove Kenya Kwanza from the government.”
Ben Momanyi praised Kalonzo and termed him the only Kenyan leader who has never stolen anything from Kenyans. He said he has been supportive of Raila for many years and that it is the ripe time for him to take the mantle from him to lead this country.
“Now that Raila is going for the AU position, we have agreed that our Azimio presidential candidate is Kalonzo Musyoka,” he declared. He assured residents of Nyamira that the next president of Kenya is Kalonzo Musyoka.
Ben Momanyi took the opportunity to confirm his interest in the gubernatorial seat of Nyamira County in the next general elections.
Momanyi threw the crowd into laughter when he said that those who stole elections from him are in America washing dishes while those in Kenya are hiding in toilets.
Kalonzo Musyoka was accompanied by Machakos County Senator, Agnes Kavindu, Embakasi South MP, Julius Mawathe, Kitui County Senator Enoch Wambua, Irene Kasalu, Kitui County Women MP, and Matungulu MP, Stephen Mule.
