KANU leaders from Mt Kenya have urged Members of Parliament from the populous region to shoot down the now controversial Finance Bill 2023/24.

The leaders advised the legislators to first listen to what ‘Wanjiku’ is saying regarding the  Bill and desist from supporting the same to please President  William Ruto.

According to KANU leaders, a majority of area residents are opposed to the Bill.

Led by the former ruling party’s  Mt Kenya regional chairman Njunge Mukirae, they said that overtaxing Kenyans will result in impoverishing the already “downtrodden” citizens.

“The idea is good but the timing is more than wrong. Kenyans are desperate for food and that’s what the government ought to address promptly,” Mukirae said.

Mukirae also challenged the  Kenya Kwanza administration to shelve all development projects and concentrate on fixing the ran away cost of living.

“The government should prioritize feeding Kenyans as well as help them revive their businesses which are yet to recover from the shocks of Covid-19 and the just-ended drought,” said the chairman.he added

His sentiments were echoed by another Mt Kenya politician and businessman David  Mbiyu who challenged  MPs to consult widely before voting in support of the  Bill which he termed draconian.

“Members of  Parliament should seek the mandate of their employers, voters, before making decisions which directly affect them. The voters are the bosses and not the  President,” Mbiyu said.

Mt Kenya leaders disrespecting Uhuru

Mbiyu at the same time cautioned a section of leaders from Mt Kenya against disrespecting former  President  Uhuru  Kenyatta saying that the same is a recipe for disunity.

He said that Uhuru is a symbol of national unity whose wisdom and lack of greed saw him shake hands with ODM leader  Raila Odinga in March 2018.

Also, Mukirae said that Uhuru should put his political differences with President Ruto and rise to the occasion of preventing the country from plunging into anarchy. 

“The fact that the duo parted political ways ahead of the 2022 August General Elections should be shelved and a new page opened aimed at uniting the country. We need peace in Kenya,” Mukirae said. 

The chairman further said that Ruto should consider forming a government of national unity in order to avert the possible stagnation of development in the country occasioned by the ongoing protests by the opposition.

“Kenya is one and all Wanjiku wants is peace, tranquillity, harmony and development. This can only be possible when leaders will read from the same script and our call as KANU  is for two leaders to form a united government,” Mukirae said.