Editor's Review

"People are living hand to mouth, you can’t force them to save what they do not have," Senator Sifuna. 

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna now says that Kenyans are unable to take further deductions from their salaries. 

Speaking during an interview on Thursday, May 25, Sifuna noted that while the government has proposed a raft of new taxes and increase in the Finance Bill 2023, Kenyans are living hand to mouth because the inflation has grown exponentially while their salaries have not grown over the years. 

"People are unable to take further deductions from their salaries. Many Kenyans have gone for years without a pay rise. When you start making money, whatever your hustle is, the gov’t will pay attention to you as they have now done to digital creators. 

"Who is worthy of being listened to by the Kenya Kwanza government? People are living hand to mouth; you can’t force them to save what they do not have. Let Kenyans focus on growing their income," Sifuna stated.  

 Senator Boni Khalwale

Sifuna urged Senator Boni Khalwale to consider the issues being raised by a majority of Kenyans with regard to the proposals in the finance bill. 

The Finance Bill 2023 has received backlash from Kenyans with the government, among other things, proposing a 3% housing fund and a 15% withholding tax for digital content creators.  

On the other hand, Senator Khalwale has maintained that the Housing Fund is meant to help Kenyans own houses. 

"The intention of helping Kenyans to own houses is excellent because it is futuristic and is an acceptance of the world standard that populations will continue to migrate from rural to urban areas," he said.