John Mbadi expressed concern in answer to questions regarding the 2023 budget bill that is now being debated in Congress and expressed uncertainty about the party's ability to protect Kenyans' interests. Mbadi expressed his worries in an interview with Citizen TV, stating that signs point to the bill being approved, partly as a result of the high level of confidence most parliamentarians have in the president.
"I don't think Kenyans can trust Congress to protect them. You can see the signs," he said.
Mbadi added that Foreign Minister Sylvanus Osoro had already assured President William Ruto that the 2023 Finance Bill would pass without any changes. "They got together and said their duty was to do the government's job. We joined in and found that some of our friends saw it as a bad thing," he added.
Budget 2023 received its fair share of love and hate as politicians, including opposition leader Raila Odinga, pledged to ensure the bill was defeated, while Kwanzaa politicians in Kenya promised it would last. Senator Nandi Samson Cherergei said not even a single comma will be changed in the 2023 budget proposal.
He said the government had only two options: borrow or raise funds through taxes. "The decision to pass Congress the 2023 budget is not an option that is even frozen because we borrow more money or increase our tax revenue," he said.
On the other hand, Raila said the financial bill weighs heavily on the middle class. "The fee proposed by the Kwanzaa Government of Kenya is a punishment that Kenyans cannot and must not accept. It proposes amendments to various tax laws, including the Income Tax Act. Revenue, tax on value added, taxes, and other fees and levies," he said.
