Lawyer Miguna Miguna has slammed President William Ruto over his plan to raise the country's tax rate from the current 14 percent to possibly 22 percent before he leaves office.
In a statement via X on Wednesday, May 15, Miguna said Kenyans are overtaxed and exploited by the government.
The vocal lawyer claimed taxes collected by the government are stolen and misused by some government officials and politicians.
“This is a reckless statement and plan, President William Ruto. Kenyans are over-taxed, repressed, exploited, and abused. The high taxes Kenyans pay are stolen, misused, diverted, and wasted by a few politicians,” said Miguna.
He added, “You can’t compare the 13% goods and services tax, in Canada, for example, which is utilized to provide universal quality healthcare, education, housing, 1st class highways, roads, sewer systems and a million other public services to residents, with the state of collapse in Kenya.”
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Miguna pointed out that there is no need to increase Kenya’s tax rate to 22 percent when Kenyans don’t receive the value of the taxes they pay.
He further asked President Ruto to respect Kenyans and stop the plan to increase the country’s tax rate.
“President William Ruto, please show some respect to the suffering Kenyans who gave you an opportunity to be president. Stop adding sulphuric acid to our injuries,” Miguna stated.
On Tuesday during an engagement with the Harvard Business School’s Class of 2025 at State House, President Ruto disclosed that he intends to raise the rate to 16 percent by the end of this year and up to 22 percent by the time he leaves office.
Ruto argued that the tax rate in Kenya is way below that of the country's peers in the continent.
“My drive is to push Kenya and possibly this year we will be at 16% from 14%. I want in my term, God willing, to leave it at between 20 and 22 %. It's going to be difficult. I have a lot of explaining to do, people will complain, but I know finally they will appreciate that the money we go to borrow from the World Bank is savings from other countries,” the president said.
