Mutahi Kagwe Exposes How Ruto Used Bread Tax to Distract Kenyans From Finance Bill
Former Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe suggested that the tax proposals targeting bread and diapers in the Finance Bill 2024 were a deliberate attempt to deceive Kenyans.
During an interview on Spice FM, Kagwe criticized the timing of introducing VAT on bread under President William Ruto’s administration, especially when many Kenyans were facing hardships. He implied that the inclusion of these controversial clauses was intended to provoke a public outcry.
Kagwe, who previously served under Former President Uhuru Kenyatta, alleged that Ruto had always intended to retract these taxes.
He argued that these contentious taxes were strategically introduced to divert attention from other tax proposals in the bill.
“You can’t honestly tell me that at a time when Kenyans are suffering, you decide to tax bread and diapers. Really! Do you expect me to believe this was your genuine intention? It’s like putting people in a hole and then rescuing them to gain praise,” he remarked.
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Despite this, Kagwe acknowledged that Kenyans saw through Ruto’s strategy, evident in the protests dubbed the Gen Z protests.
“It failed. It backfired. Kenyans won’t be swayed by just withdrawing taxes on bread,” he asserted. “There are still other taxes that need scrutiny, and I hope more amendments will follow.”
Following widespread public outcry, the Kenya Kwanza administration abandoned its plan to tax bread and other essentials like diapers.
This decision was underscored during the Kenya Kwanza Parliamentary Group meeting at the State House.
Subsequently, amendments were presented in Parliament ahead of the MPs’ debate on the bill. The debate is scheduled for today and Thursday, with a vote planned for next week.
Mutahi Kagwe Exposes How Ruto Used Bread Tax to Distract Kenyans From Finance Bill