Raila Odinga, the leader of the Azimio la Umoja one kenya alliance, has released a list of demands to President William Ruto on reducing government spending without burdening Kenyans.
Mr Odinga stated the coalition's opposition to the revenue-raising measures in the Finance Bill 2023 during a press conference in Nairobi, arguing that they will plunge the country into a worse economic crisis.
Odinga presented President Ruto with ten items he wanted to be addressed to cut the cost of living:
1. that he has to Stop duplication of county functions and responsibilities. The proposed Bill increases the national budget for health by Ksh35 billion, even though health is a devolved role.
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2. Implement zero-based budgeting. He should not use the previous budget as a starting point. Every budget must begin at the beginning when everything must be justified.
3. Instead of increasing the amount of the national budget, he should instead reduce it and live within his means.
4. close the loopholes that result in revenue loss instead of introducing new taxes that burden kenyans.
5. he has to Put a stop to non-essential government spending and avoid things such as the hiring of Chief Administrative Secretaries.
6. that President Ruto has to Reduce the size of the government.
7. Eliminate non-essential Travel both domestically and internationally.
8. Freeze ministerial out-of-station, house allowances, and cabinet and principal secretaries' domestic expenses.
9. Put an end to corruption and the theft of public funds.
10. Finally, he wants to implore Ruto to humble himself, withdraw this Bill, apologize and seek forgiveness from Kenyans for the anguish it has created, and then start over.
He further claimed that if the National Assembly adopted the law, he would petition the "broader National Assembly of the entire people of Kenya" to overturn the decision.
