Pesa Iko – Osotsi says Kenya can run without new taxes if govt waste is cut
By Mustafa Juma, May 31, 2026Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has sparked fresh debate on Kenya’s fiscal policy after claiming that the country does not need additional taxation to sustain its budget.
Osotsi argues instead that government expenditure cuts could unlock sufficient resources to run the economy.
Speaking at AIC Kyanda Church on Sunday, May 31, 2026, Osotsi said Kenya’s financial challenges were not necessarily caused by a lack of revenue but by what he termed ‘excessive wastage in public spending’.
His remarks come ahead of a heated debate on the Finance Bill 2026, which has already triggered political confrontation between government and opposition-aligned leaders.
Osotsi rejects tax increase
Osotsi dismissed claims that Kenya lacks sufficient revenue to finance its operations, insisting that better financial discipline within government institutions would eliminate the need for new taxes.
Addressing criticism from National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, who has defended the Finance Bill as necessary for funding government programmes, Osotsi argued that the state already collects enough money to run its affairs.
“I want to tell Ichung’wah that serikali ya Linda ya Mwananchi, tukiingia hivi, the first thing will be to cut down on government expenditure,” Osotsi said.
“Pesa iko. We have enough money that can make this country run without taxing Kenyans.”
State spending and presidential budget
The senator singled out State House expenditure as an example of what he termed unnecessary government spending, claiming that the institution consumes billions annually.
He argued that Kenya could operate more efficiently if such budgets were reduced to more conservative levels, citing previous administrations as examples of leaner governance.
“Can you imagine ati State House wanatumia kwa mwaka moja Ksh18 billion, and Kibaki showed us that you can even run State House with Ksh3 billion,” Osotsi said.
He further questioned what he described as costly presidential travel arrangements, suggesting that government officials should rely on more cost-effective means.
Opposition pushes against Finance Bill
Osotsi’s remarks were delivered in the context of growing opposition to the Finance Bill 2026, which critics argue introduces additional financial burdens on already strained households and businesses.
Opposition leaders under the Linda Mwananchi political movement have intensified their campaign against the bill, framing it as punitive and disconnected from the economic realities facing ordinary Kenyans.
Osotsi urged citizens, particularly young voters, to closely follow parliamentary proceedings and hold their representatives accountable during the vote.
“Gen Z mpo? Nataka ile siku ya kupiga kura ya Finance Bill mkuwe na register,” he said.
“Mbunge yoyote, awe wa serikali, awe wa upinzani, ambaye atapiga yes, we will ask you to occupy their premises.”
Warning to MPs over vote
Osotsi further warned that lawmakers who support the Finance Bill risk political backlash from the Linda Mwananchi movement.
warned Members of Parliament allied to the Linda Mwananchi movement that they risk expulsion from the outfit if they support the Finance Bill 2026 in Parliament.
Osotsi said that leaders within the movement had already agreed that all lawmakers associated with Linda Mwananchi must reject the bill when it comes to a vote in the National Assembly.
“Wenzangu wameongea kuhusu Finance Bill, wameeleza vile Finance Bill ni mbaya, vile Finance Bill ni sumu, lakini mimi sitaenda kwa hiyo,” Osotsi said.
The Finance Bill debate continues to expose sharp divisions between the government and opposition-aligned leaders, with both sides presenting contrasting economic narratives.
While government leaders insist that new revenue measures are necessary to support development projects and manage public debt, critics argue that poor fiscal discipline and corruption are the real challenges facing the country.