Azimio Leader Raila Odinga was on Monday, January 6 asked to pay up a whopping Ksh344 million in taxes for allegedly dumping fuel in December 2022.
Digital Strategist and Kenya Kwanza operative Dennis Itumbi, stated that the matter would not be left to tax collectors.
“Former PM Raila Odinga before you put President William Ruto to the task, pay your Taxes. Pay up the Ksh344 million owed to the Kenya Revenue Authority. This matter will not be left to Tax collectors. It is a top priority for Kenyans.”
By the way, there are no new taxes. They are the same Uhuru Kenyatta and yourself had during your time. The last Finance bill was 2022, when your handshake was still in power," Itumbi told Raila in a post on Facebook.
His demand drew mixed reactions with Kenyans split on why demands were made via social media and not through the relevant government agencies.
A user by the name of Joseph Kang’ethe argued that the demands against the Former Prime Minister ought to be made through official channels of communication.
“Tax demands are not made on social media and not by anyone... Only KRA does and to the individual person or entity,”
Usher McMase held a different view of the issue. “If you were reducing the price of goods with the same energy you are demanding people to pay tax Kenya would be miles ahead. But it's now the opposite.”
President William Ruto's Government has been on an overdrive mounting pressure on Kenyans to pay their fair share of taxes.
These demands were accentuated by the entangling of the Kenyatta family in the tax row which saw the former first lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta respond to allegations of evasion.
In her response, Mama Ngina stated that due process of the law should be followed in addressing the matter rather than soiling people's names.
"There is no need of spoiling my name and that of others so that you can be seen to be working. Let those accused be taken to court and pay what he or she is supposed to pay," she remarked.
Itumbi's accusations of Odinga could be a government plot to dissuade the former Prime Minister's onslaught on the regime with recently Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua revealing that Itumbi's job description in government was that of 'come here go there'
Speaking in Kerugoya on Sunday, January 22, Gachagua revealed that Itumbi had no designated office, but was a close aide to President William Ruto.
"Many of you wonder what is the work of Itumbi. His office is known as come here go there. He is a close friend of our President," he disclosed.
