Public Servants to Protest Outside Parliament Over Proposed Tax Plan

Public servants will on Monday have peaceful processions to Parliament.

They announced that they would march to the National Assembly buildings to express their displeasure with what they called over-taxation.

Public Servants will be represented by unions like the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU), and the Kenya Union of Domestic Hotels Educational Institutions Hospitals and Allied Workers (Kudheiha), among others.

The procession will begin at 8:00 am, having assembled at the University of Nairobi Chancellor’s Court.

This comes amid ongoing debate on a new Housing levy that the unions condemned, saying it is inconsiderate for the government to impose a levy without a proportional increment in workers’ pay.

The levy aims to charge 3% of employees’ monthly basic salaries in order to pay for Ruto’s affordable housing plan.

The opposition and the public have both criticized the government for the high cost of living.

Some Kenyans are unhappy with the government’s decision to clarify the contentious affordable housing project, to which salaried citizens would be required to contribute. They want the plan to be dropped.

The leader of the opposition, Raila Odinga, has repeatedly warned President Ruto that the cost of living needs to be reevaluated because people are currently suffering.

He said Kenyans cannot be taxed to the bone just because of Kenya Kwanza’s internal weaknesses.

Raila has also urged President Ruto to implement significant changes within his executive to address the high cost of living.

However, President Ruto, last  Friday said that the creation of employment is what’s driving him to introduce the plans to Kenyans.

“The real motivation behind it (housing project) is the jobs we are going to create for the young people of Kenya. Ni kuhakikisha kwamba vijana wanapata ajira (This is to ensure youths are employed), ” he said.

Ruto disclosed that the government will require five youths to help with construction.