Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has vowed to marshal support to have the amendments to the Division of Revenue Act slashing Kshs 9billion from Counties rejected by the Senate.
Addressing the press outside Custom Offices in Malaba, Busia County, on Sunday where he had accompanied the Senate Ad-hoc committee on Maize, Wetangula said the Senators will shoot down the proposal the moment they receive it.
“We shall not allow money meant for Counties to be slashed as this will amount to undermining devolution by denying Counties what belongs to them,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Bungoma Senator has termed shameful the move by Members of Parliament to endorse new fuel tax that will also see mobile phone users incur additional duty and salaried workers will have part of their pay go to finance the government’s housing project.
“MPs are wholly to blame for passing the Finance Bill that saw the controversial 8 percent tax on petroleum products introduced to the chagrin of Wanjiku,” he said.
Wetangula also condemned some party leaders for supporting MPs who voted in favor of the tax proposals describing such leaders as anti-people.
He said tax burden on Kenyans is alarming with the country paying Kshs 400 billion interest per annum on public debts and Kshs 770 billion in loan repayment which is equivalent to 70% of the national revenue.
“Instead of overtaxing Kenyans, the government should embrace best public finance management practices, lest wananchi can start hoarding money,” he said.