Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) politician from Murang’a Pius Kinuthia has now urged the leading opposition coalition Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance to give Kenyans a break over plans to revive countrywide protests.
Kinuthia, who spoke through his Twitter account on Monday, referred to Azimio as “disgruntled politicians” who could not be entrusted with a duty of organizing peaceful demonstrations. He called on the political faction to desist from engaging Kenyans in bothersome industrial actions. Link:https://twitter.com/Belive_Kinuthia/status/1673230855378960384?s=20
“No peaceful maandamanos are planned and executed by DISGRUNTLED POLITICIANS. Azimio leadership should give us a BREAK,” said Kinuthia.
This comes days after Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance announced that it was set to resume people’s consultation forums after Parliament passed the contested Finance Bill 2023. This is because the opposition team had opposed the bill in its entirety, arguing that it would burden Kenyans who are currently struggling to make ends meet further.
The Azimio Members of Parliament in the National Assembly put up a spirited fight in a bid to counter the bill and prevent it from passing through the law making stages but they did not succeed. Their efforts flopped because their Kenya Kwanza government counterparts were the absolute majority. Also, the ruling faction was supported by the opposition rebel MPs.
The bill, which was signed to law by president Dr William Ruto on Monday faced opposition because of clauses which seeks to increase taxes. One of them includes the VAT fuel levy which was elevated from 8% in 2022/2023 financial year to 16% in 2023/2024 financial year. Azimio argues that the move will increase the cost of living. However, in its view, the government has defended the same, claiming that it would raise enough revenue to substitute the need by the country to borrow more loans.
by: Tororey