John Mbadi, Kenya’s Treasury Cabinet Secretary, is facing criticism after introducing the Finance Bill 2025.
According to blogger and analyst Soko Analyst, this bill is a bigger burden than the Finance Bill 2024, which Mbadi had earlier declared “dead and buried.”
Many Kenyans feel betrayed by his reversal and believe he is not living up to his promises.
In August 2024, Mbadi told Kenyans that the Finance Bill 2024 would not come back.
He said public participation was important and assured people that only fair proposals would be considered.
However, the Finance Bill 2025 seems to go against all those assurances. Soko Analyst has described this bill as chaotic and a disaster for ordinary Kenyans.
The Finance Bill 2025 introduces new taxes like the eco-levy, which applies to many goods.
The government says it will raise about 150 billion shillings to pay for expenses like teachers’ salaries.
However, this eco-levy makes basic goods more expensive, adding to the struggles of families already facing high living costs.
Many feel that instead of solving economic problems, the bill is making life harder for ordinary citizens.
The bill has also reintroduced tax measures that Kenyans rejected during protests in June 2024.
Activists are now warning that more demonstrations could follow.
People feel that Mbadi and his team are ignoring the economic pain felt by ordinary citizens.
Soko Analyst has pointed out that these yearly finance bills are unnecessary and only create chaos, as they keep changing tax rules and putting pressure on Kenyans.
Critics say that relying on finance bills every year to adjust taxes shows poor planning.
It makes it hard for Kenyans to plan their lives because they never know what new taxes will be introduced next.
This lack of stability has reduced public trust in the government.
Many people now believe that the Treasury has no clear plan for managing the economy.
Soko Analyst has suggested that the government should stop these yearly finance bills and focus on long-term policies that bring stability and growth.
Mbadi’s decision to bring back harsh tax measures has tarnished his reputation. Kenyans expected fairness and consistency, but instead, they feel let down.
The Finance Bill 2025 is seen as proof that the government is out of touch with the struggles of its people.
If the government does not act quickly to address these concerns, the trust of Kenyans will continue to erode.
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