NAIROBI, Kenya – As the crucial vote on the Finance Bill 2024 approaches, Kenyans have launched a powerful campaign to pressure their legislators into rejecting the controversial tax proposals.
The bill, which has faced widespread opposition, seeks to raise taxes on essential goods and services, including bread, fuel, and digital content.
Leading the charge was a Kenyan social media influencer who galvanized support using the hashtag #RespectMyHustle.
The campaign urged Kenyans to contact their Members of Parliament (MPs) and demand they vote down the bill.
Phone numbers of various legislators were swiftly shared online, and Kenyans flooded their phones with calls and texts.
“Everyone across the nation is calling my number, texting me, and WhatsApping me. I can’t sleep; the phone is vibrating constantly with demands to reject the Finance Bill tomorrow,” Mumias East MP Peter Salasya wrote on his Facebook page. He even mentioned that people were sending small amounts of money via mobile money transfers to confirm his phone number’s authenticity.
The campaign quickly gained traction, with more people joining the effort and sharing legislators’ phone numbers.
Influential personalities like Wesley Kibande and Karen Ngari added their voices, urging Kenyans to “call them, text them, spam them” to ensure their opposition was heard loud and clear.
Some MPs have responded positively to the campaign. Narok Senator Ledama Olekina and Starehe MP Amos Mwago publicly committed to voting against the bill.
The sheer volume of public outcry seems to have made an impact, as many legislators reported being overwhelmed by the deluge of communications from their constituents.
Despite the overwhelming opposition, the National Treasury has defended the proposed tax measures.
Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo cited the country’s significant debt as a justification for the new taxes, emphasizing the need to mobilize sufficient revenue to stabilize the nation’s finances.
