National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has asked for one year to reform tax collection in the country.

He told President William Ruto they need ample time to reform the tax regime.

“Your excellency, we thank you for the new task. But I just want to ask you and fellow Kenyans to give us at least one year to reform tax collection system,” he said in Migori town during the President’s tour of the region. Mbadi acknowledged taking over the sensitive and critical finance docket at a time when Kenyans expectation was very high.

The CS, however, did not delve deeper on what he intends to do to rev up revenue which was at the height of the recent Gen Z protests in the country.

The protests led to the withdrawal of Finance Bill 2024 by the President which was later followed by a court declaration of Finance Bill 2023 as unconditional. Supreme Court, however, stay the Court of Appeal’s decision declaring the Finance Act, 2023 unconstitutional.

Mbadi appeared rearing up to reform the fiscal policies at the National Treasury and bring a raft of changes to broaden the tax base, instil austerity measures and help revamp the economy.

He told Kenyans to be patient and value those who value them in their visionary leadership tenets.

Ruto disclosed that they had set aside Sh800 million to build new modern markets in every constituency in Migori County including ICT hubs to create more wealth and employment opportunities for the young people.

He also announced Sh1.6 billion for last mile electricity connection for 19,000 households and Sh1. 5 billion for the upgrading of the lower Kuja irrigation project. The project will see an additional 12,000 hectares added to the current 7,OOO to boost agricultural output and income per Capita among residents through improved rice production to curb imports. In water infrastructure, the President said they had allocated Sh1.5 billion to improve water supplies in the twin Kuria constituencies -Kuria East and West.

Ruto as he commissioned the first phase Kegonga water cluster project in Kuria East MP Marwa Kitayama’s turf that cost Sh250 million.

The water supplies project will benefit 14,800 households. Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Agency is implementing the project. The projects engineer Paul Agwanda, said the funds for the projects had been set aside.

The President also announced repairing and tarmacking major roads in the area which will cost the exchequer billions. They include Macalder, Muhuru bay among others and asked contractor to revert on site within the next one month.

Migori Governor Ochillo Ayacko asked the President to upgrade Migori Air strip into an international Airport given that it is at the border of Kenya and Tanzania and serves the twin countries most of the times.

International pilgrims flying into and out of the country have been using Migori’s Lichota Air strip to land and then shuttle by road to and out of the two countries.

Ayacko  also asked the government to aid in construction of Migori County stadium.