Kenya Kwanza should use its numbers for public good

Kenya Kwanza’s show of might in Parliament is a clear indication of a ruling coalition that has the numbers and intentions to make good use of their numbers. They probably have the numbers to provide an enabling legislative framework to execute the President’s agenda.

In Senate, they clearly demonstrated that by saving the Siaya Deputy Governor, they can frustrate Azimio. After the committee agreed with the Siaya County Assembly to impeach the DG, the vote in the plenary was simply political and the substantive grounds the committee raised seem not to have informed the discourse.

Defeating Azimio was more important than who they were saving and the people of Siaya combined.
There is little ground to fault Kenya Kwanza legislators because they owe it to their party or alliance to support its legislative agenda.

What the coalition sold to the people is probably what made the people give it power and the assumption is that even in the passing of the Finance Bill, the MPs were committed to ensuring that the Executive delivers on its promises.

If this is how KK is going to operate, they better have an end game that will change the lives of the people. A few of their talking heads have talked of the majority having their way and minority having their say.

While majority having their way is a sacrosanct tenet of a democracy, the end game can only benefit the ruling party if the numbers in the legislative assemblies are used to serve public interest and address the plight of the majority.

The Finance Act is neither a public interest legislative document and neither is it clear how it will address the plight of the majority. On 16 per cent VAT on fuel for instance, one can trace the part of the popularity of this government on the campaign trail given that they rode on castigating the same and sold themselves as a pro-mwananchi political formation.

The Finance Act is a litmus test of consequential magnitude. Kenyans are angry. The memoranda to the Finance Committee and the court cases speak volumes.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has asked the public to walk to work or carpool as they adjust to the effects of higher taxes on fuel.

Economic sabotage is what the Kenya Kwanza brigade calls it. They are forgetting that just a few months ago, they were on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s case claiming that a 16 per cent tax on fuel would break the common mwananchi.

Sentiments on the ground are a clear indication of an overburdened population. Studies have shown that when taxes go up, the citizens adjust by spending less, and both businesses and tax paying individuals invest less in entrepreneurship and innovation.

Tax evasion is likely to rise. Part of cutting down expenditure is inevitable and probably walking to work will be part of the protest against the Act.

While Kenya Kwanza is pushing through with its numbers, Azimio will harness the sentiments against the use of numbers to overburden an already burdened mwananchi.

The Finance Act seems to be offering Azimio a clear pathway to harness as much gravitas as it needs to put this regime on check. Who will win? Probably the side that will address the plight of the majority.

— The writer is a PhD candidate in political communication