Good morning,
Opposition leader Raila Odinga’s call for Kenyans to boycott paying taxes in a new strategy dubbed ‘defiance and civil disobedience’ has been met with criticism from the government.
The former Prime Minister, on Tuesday, June 28th, outlined a number of plans that he said will culminate in countrywide mass protests as part of the opposition’s bid to have the recent tax laws repealed.
Ruto’s lieutenants have responded swiftly, rubbishing the new strategy as hogwash and warning that the opposition was increasingly getting reckless.
Raila also urged Kenyans to carpool, cut down on non-essential travel, and walk to work and urged matatus to break the law and carry the double capacity to reduce fuel consumption, thus, denying Ruto’s government to collect tax.
Endebess MP Robert Pukose said Raila is resorting to “childish and retrogressive” politics insensitive to the government and Kenyans’ needs.
Nyali MP Mohamed Ali claimed that the opposition is out to worsen the already battered economy.
Raila has also urged the online community – Kenyans on Twitter, content creators and Tiktokers – in the country and the diaspora to go against the regime.
Raila’s call for disobedience is the latest strategy in his unrelenting pushback against the regime that he has already declared illegitimate.
The reactions to Raila’s call have been mixed. Some Kenyans have expressed support for the boycott, while others have criticized it as being unrealistic or counterproductive.
Those who support the boycott argue that it is the only way to force the government to repeal the new tax laws. They say that the taxes are too high and will hurt the economy.
Those who criticize the boycott argue that it will only hurt ordinary Kenyans. They say that the government will not be forced to repeal the laws and that the boycott will only make things worse for everyone.
Do you think Raila’s new strategy will force the government to cut some punitive taxes? Meanwhile, here are some trending stories on Opera News today;
Legal Showdown Looms Between Azimio & KK a Day After Ruto Defied Court’s Order by Doing This
President William Ruto is facing a potential legal showdown a day after defying the high court’s order governing the number of individuals permitted to sit in cabinet.
As relayed by a report covered on Thursday’s standard publication, Ruto’s camp might be sued by the opposition following Ruto’s ill-advised decision of allowing UDA secretary general Cleophas Malala, Economic Advisor David Mdii and National Security Advisor Monica Juma to attend a cabinet meeting.
TSC announces plan to recruit 20,000 teachers
The government will next week advertise the recruitment of 20,000 teachers across the country, raising the number of tutors hired by the Kenya Kwanza administration to 56,000 in less than one year.
Teachers Service Commission chairperson Jamleck Muturi made the announcement yesterday during the ongoing Kenya Secondary School Head Teachers Association (Kessha) conference at the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Hall in Mombasa.
Oil Scandal Aside, Auditor General Gathungu Reveals Why Electricity Token Prices Have Been Rising
Barely weeks after Kenyans were served with reports on how Kshs 6.5 Billion was lost during the importation of Edible Oil, a move that was aimed at skyrocketing the rising prices of basic commodities, the Auditor General Hon Nancy Gathungu via an exclusive report by the standard media group has this morning exposed the rot of what has been happening behind the expensive Electricity Tokens recently.
Through a special report that is set to be handed over to President William Ruto for further action (if need be), Nancy Gathungu has unmasked how Powerful individuals in the current and immediate Governments have masqueraded in the procurement of Power Producers in the Nation. She has revealed how tenders involving the production of power are always exaggerated, thus passing the burden to the consumer, who ends up paying for expensive Electricity Tokens.