
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Saturday called for the support in passing the Finance Bill, 2023 to help the country raise its own revenue for development projects.
The DP said the Government will not engage in a borrowing spree that will burden Kenyans with unnecessary debts to finance its development projects and recurrent expenditure.
Speaking in Kitui when he presided over a fundraiser for St Charles Lwanga School in the County, the DP said the Government will focus on raising revenue locally to fund initiatives that will improve citizens’ lives.
He said the country had been pushed to its financial limits by excess debts in the previous regime.
“We pushed the country to the limit. We cannot go that route anymore. When you are in a hole, you cannot keep digging, we must get out of the financial hole we are in,” said the DP.
Mr Gachagua stated the best way for the country to move forward was through payment of taxes to build a pool of adequate resources for its recurrent and development expenditure.
“If we don’t collect taxes, we will not be able to roll out the development projects we have lined up across the country,” the DP asserted.
He asked leaders from Ukambani region to rally behind the Finance Bill.
“We have employed more teachers and we will continue building more infrastructure and employing more teachers only if we raise enough taxes,” Mr Gachagua said from Kitui.
The Deputy President also asked the Ukambani region leaders to rally behind the Government and reject those leading the people astray through retrogressive politics
The DP also promised a facelift for the institution, terming it a premier school in the region and undertook to buy a bus for the school, following a request by the students.
Mr Gachagua was accompanied by Cabinet secretaries Ezekiel Machogu (Education) and Peninah Malonza (Tourism), the area MP Dr Makali Muli and a number of MPs from the region and elsewhere.