Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa has been the latest to weigh in on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s recent rejection of the National Assembly’s bill on fuel price increment, faulting him for not signing it into law.
The President on Wednesday sent back the bill seeking to postpone the 16 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and its products, instead of reducing the tax to 8 percent.
Speaking on Radio Maisha Monday morning, Barasa noted that parliament could, in retaliation, disobey the President and completely abolish the additional tax.
He added that the majority Jubilee Party lawmakers will not be cowed into blindly backing the President who doubles up as the ruling party’s leader, maintaining that they are in office to represent Kenyans burdened by tax.
‘’Bunge inafanya kazi kwa niaba ya wakenya na sio serikali. Kazi ya serikali ni kurahisisha maisha ya wananchi na sio kuyafanya magumu kama tunavyoona sasa.
(As parliament, we are in office to represent Kenyans and not the government. Therefore, we will not side with it as it makes life harder for Kenyans),’’ said the youthful lawmaker.
He cautioned Uhuru that he could end up spoiling the legacy he seeks to leave at the end of his tenure, should he continue presiding over the oppression of Kenyans through heavy taxation.
'’You cannot leave a legacy when you leave Kenyans poorer than you found them),’’ he added.