Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has urged members of Parliament to reject the Finance Bill 2024 that is being pushed by the Kenya Kwanza Alliance government.

In a statement on Friday, Mr. Odinga took a swipe at the Kenya Kwanza regime, terming the Bill as retrogressive and insensitive to the plight of the poor in the country, reiterating that its impacts will be worse than the Finance Bill, 2023.

The veteran opposition leader cited the economic areas that would be affected by the proposed increase of taxes and Value Added Tax (VAT), saying ordinary Kenyans will be subjected to hardships worse than in the last financial year.

“The Bill is a regressive taxation proposal that goes ruthlessly after the poor. 

“Should it be ratified, low-income people will be hit with taxes on multiple fronts and will end up paying more than people with higher incomes. 

“It is obvious that tax on basic necessities such as food, cooking oil, and money transfer disproportionately hurt the poorest of the poor,” he said.

“The tax burden in Kenya is at its highest level since independence, but public services have largely remained on their knees. 

“As if this is not bad enough the Finance Bill 2024 proposes even more and higher taxes. 

“Consequently, the people and the country will be way worse off at this time in 2025 if the Finance Bill 2024 does not undergo radical surgery. 

“Most of the tax proposals in the Finance Bill 2024 are as insensitive as they are callous.”