That four Kenyans are worth a cumulative Sh333 billion is mind-boggling and it is close to 10 per cent of the country’s Sh3.34 trillion annual budget for 2022/23 financial year.

Combined net worth of the top four richest Kenyans is enough to offset the current budget’s Sh280 billion foreign financing budget, and still keep change of Sh50 billion.

The cash can take care of Kenya’s Sh317.9 billion national security budget.

It is also enough to put up another Standard Gauge Railway (pictured) between Mombasa and Nairobi which cost Sh327 billion.

Oxfam says should Kenya tax net wealth tax, it would earn the country Sh89.9 billion per year at the rate of two per cent for those worth above $5 million (Sh615 million) and three per cent for those worth above $50 million.

The amount, according to Oxfam, is enough to hire 100,000 primary and secondary school teachers and over 38,000 nurses.

It is amount is enough to construct the Nairobi Expressway at the cost of Sh87.9 billion and remains with some Sh2 billion for other uses.

Going by the 2022/23 budgetary allocations, Sh89.9 billion is enough to fund the Judiciary’s budget of Sh18.5 billion for close to five years.

Coming at a time when the government is struggling to raise revenue, wealth tax provides an attractive and easy way for the government to raise much-needed cash.

However, it is not yet clear whether this is a route National Treasury would be willing to pursue.