Raila to unveil ‘people’s budget’ as he tells Kenyans to wait for the next action
Azimio leader Raila Odinga to draft a parallel budget to counter the 2023/2024 budget for the Kenya Kwanza administration
Azimio leader Raila Odinga to draft a parallel budget to counter the 2023/2024 budget for the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya leaders on Wednesday said they will draft a parallel budget to counter the 2023/2024 financial year budget for the Kenya Kwanza administration.
The Azimio leaders led by Raila Odinga said the Sh3.6 trillion budget does not mirror what Kenyans want from the government.
“After going through the document, our position remains that the budget proposal remains flawed beyond redemption, as we said earlier no amount of amendments can redeem this Bill,” said former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya.
“We appeal to Kenyans to be on standby and on the lookout. In the event they ram this through your throats, don’t give up; don’t surrender,” former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya said.
“Join us in the next course of action that we will communicate. We shall emerge stronger. We shall overcome.”
The parallel budget, Azimio said, will mirror its manifesto and will demonstrate what they believe should be considered to resuscitate the economy.
Although they did not give details of the planned parallel budget, the content, and when it will be released, the team said it will go through the 47 counties for public participation.
Azimio said their budget will outline issues that the government ought to have considered avoiding over-taxation.
“In a nutshell, we believe this country needs and deserves a people’s budget. We repeat. We believe in a people’s budget. We believe in a rights-based budget,” Oparanya said.
“That budget is coming. Kenyans will have a people’s budget. We believe in a country that lives within its means so that we are not held hostage by countries that lend us money. Borrowing to spend is not a wise idea.”
The opposition spoke ahead of the presentation of the 2023-24 budget estimates by Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung’u.
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The budget reading also comes at the backdrop of a heated debate on the tax bill which proposes several tax measures to increase and expand the country’s tax base.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the Azimio summit, Oparanya insisted the Bill will kill the middle class who are the targets of most tax proposals.
The meeting was chaired by Azimio leader Raila Odinga and attended by all the principals.
The Azimio coalition said that Ruto’s budget will not only hurt the middle class but will also kill the country’s struggling economy and adds to the suffering of Kenyans.
He also rubbished the amended Finance Bill, 2023 terming it inconsequential.
“After going through the document, our position remains that the budget proposal remains flawed beyond redemption. As we said earlier, no amount of amendments can redeem this Bill,” Oparanya said.
“We believe Kenyans have been hurting for a prolonged period of time, he said.
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