Atwoli hits out at Ruto’s administration over plans to spy on Kenyans’ mobile transactions
Atwoli terms Ruto's administration's plans to spy on Kenyans’ mobile transactions ill-advised and counterproductive
Atwoli terms Ruto’s administration’s plans to spy on Kenyans’ mobile transactions ill-advised and counterproductive.
Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has reacted to the government’s decision to gain access to mobile money transactions.
In a statement posted on his official Twitter account, Atwoli criticized the move as ill-advised and counterproductive.
Atwoli explained that the move will make Kenyans avoid using mobile money platforms and consequently destroy the business of mobile transfers.
“The move by the current government as outlined in the 2023 Budget Policy Statement to have access t and or investigate mobile money transactions, MPESA is ill-advised and counterproductive,” he wrote.
“First, a majority of users of mobile banking are hustlers and the poor who overwhelmingly voted for this government. Second, this move will ultimately make Kenyans avoid using mobile money platforms and as a result, destroy a great innovation that has since helped ease the movement of money, especially from the urban to rural areas,” he added.
“The government should ensure that the more than 5,000 outsourcing companies regularize the employment terms and conditions of work for their employees by ensuring that they pay all the statutory deductions including PAYE, NSSF, and NHIF among others,” he added.
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The COTU leader pleaded with the President Ruto-led administration to start going after outsourcing firms while formalizing work in the unorganized sector.
He stated that the government should ensure that the more than 5,000 outsourcing companies regularize their employees’ employment terms and conditions of work by ensuring that they pay all statutory deductions such as PAYE, NSSF, and NHIF, among others.
“Very soon, Kenyans will start avoiding the use of mobile money platforms and, maybe, start using other platforms to send money like courier and parcel services. Instead. COTU (K) would like to invite the government to crack down on outsourcing companies whilst formalizing many jobs in the informal sector,’ Atwoli said.
Earlier, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) had disclosed plans to monitor transactions to track people’s use of mobile money in an effort to collect at least Ksh3 trillion in taxes in line with the proposed 2023–2024 budget.
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