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Kericho County Senator Aaron Cheruiyot has criticised Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka over his opposition to the 2024 Finance Bill.

Kalonzo is among the opposition leaders who have vehemently come out to oppose the proposed revenue collection bill, and Cheruiyot, a vocal Kenya Kwanza leader, has said the former Vice President is not genuine in his opposition to the bill.

The Senate Majority Leader said the government is working out various ways of collecting money to pay the debts that were borrowed by the previous regime.

“Hii mambo ya Finance Bill, usidanganywe na hawa watu wa Azimio. Hii shida tunapambana nayo, waliokopa pesa kiholela na wakakula kwa kuimba reggae na BBI sio wengine ni hawa watu wa Azimio wakiongozwa na Kalonzo.

“Hao ndio waliharibu pesa ya Kenya, wakachukua madeni kiholela ndio maana inabidi kwa sasa tuweze kufanya ile kazi inaitwa kuchukua ushuru hili tuweze kulipa madeni hio hawa walikopa vibaya.

“Na kama wewe Kalonzo, kama uko serious kwa vile unasema eti hii Finance Bill iangushwe eti kwa sababu unasikia uchungu kwa niaba ya wakenya, wewe anza kuachilia ile mshahara yako ya Vice President unalipwa ndio tujue kweli umesikia uchungu ya wanananchi wa kawaida,” Cheruiyot said.

Kalonzo’s state benefits

Kalonzo, by way of being Vice President between 2008 and 2013 under third President Mwai Kibaki, is among the former leaders who enjoy state benefits. This is in line with the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act after its gazettement in the Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 108 (Act No. 12) of January 9, 2004, and the Presidential Retirement Benefits (Amendment) Act 2013 in the Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 16 (Act No. 9) of January 25, 2013.

Cheruiyot now wants the former Mwingi North MP to surrender his salary if he is serious that the tax burden is too heavy for the citizens to carry.

“Huwezi kuwa unachukua mshahara zaidi ya milioni moja halafu halafu unatuambia mambo ni ngumu. Mambo ni ngumu na wewe ni mmoja ya wale unaleta uzito kwa wananchi? Watu wawache unafiki.

“Hii pesa inachukuliwa si pesa ya kukula mandazi na chai, ni ya kulipa madeni mlikopa na kuchezea reggae,” the senator continued.

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