Kenya’s new finance
minister says some of the proposed taxes that led to weeks of deadly protests
earlier this year will be reintroduced through a tax amendment bill as the
country struggles to find revenue to pay off debts to lenders including the
World Bank, International Monetary Fund and China.
Some Kenyans, enraged
by the rising cost of living, have already criticized John Mbadi's
announcement, which was made in a local television interview that aired on
Sunday. Their anger led demonstrators to storm Parliament, forcing President
William Ruto to veto a contentious finance bill and fire the majority of his
Cabinet.
However, a few of the
ideas from that divisive finance law have recently been revived. According to
Mbadi, the tax revision bill will include a tax on products deemed to be
non-environmentally friendly among its many other provisions.
"This nation is
not a landfill," he declared.
The levy, according to
its detractors, would drive up the price of necessities like sanitary towels
and diapers.
In response to the
minister's comments, the youth-led protest movement has already declared that
protests will go on throughout Kenya. The Kenya National Commission on Human
Rights reports that since the protests began in mid-June, over 50 people have
died amid allegations of police brutality.
An opposition lawmaker,
Robert Mbui, on Monday told a local television station that the plan to
reintroduce certain proposals was a “mistake” and accused the new minister of
“double speak” after saying earlier this month he had no plans to increase
taxes.
Kenya’s president had
defended the new taxes and warned there would be consequences after withdrawing
the previous bill. The IMF, which supports an economic reform program in Kenya,
earlier suggested some of the controversial tax changes.
“We are confident that
we will be able to find a balanced path forward,” the IMF said after the
finance bill was withdrawn.
Protesters also have
called for the president’s resignation, but Ruto said he would not do it.
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