Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) boss Francis Atwoli on Thursday, May 25 praised Citizen TV's News Gang team for constantly auditing government programmes during their shows hosted on Thursdays.
Speaking during an event in Kisumu County, the trade unionist indicated that the organisation would also form a similar team to emulate the TV show hosted by celebrated news anchor Yvonne Okwara.
Atwoli added that the COTU team would also be tasked with releasing audit reports periodically on how President William Ruto's government was utilising collected taxes.
The trade unionist also urged other media houses to collaborate and have accountability teams for the current administration.
"We need to have an inter-media auditing team of journalists to audit the government the way we see some guys on Citizen TV called News Gang doing - where journalists sit together and address certain topics.
"We are forming a committee under COTU to audit the government and we will be coming up with periodic reports. We will make it public. Paying taxes is not a problem but it must go for its intended use," he stated.
Atwoli made the statements while addressing the plans by Ruto's administration to introduce the housing levy and other taxes in the Finance Bill 2023.
He acknowledged that the government needed to collect taxes to deliver services in the country. However, he opined that accountability is key
"We must work to remove slums within our city. If building houses are going to make us have the infrastructure like other countries, then why should we not pay for it?
"They are saying the money will be returned but auditing is the most important thing," he added.
Notably, the proposed taxation in the Finance Bill 2023 has been opposed by various sections of workers' unions despite COTU's backing.
Some of the unions opposed to the planned taxation include the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE).
Most of the unions have proposed for the 3 per cent housing levy to be made voluntary.
