Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday, June 27, called on Kenyans to boycott the taxes instituted by President William Ruto's regime until the Finance Act 2023 is repealed.
Speaking at Kamukunji grounds, Nairobi, Raila gave his supporters seven directives for Kenyans to follow in an act of civil disobedience aimed at denying the ruling party its much-needed revenue generation to conduct its affairs.
The Act Ruto approved on Monday introduces a raft of new taxes and levies that will see formal employees' salaries decrease.
Carpool
Raila urged Kenyans to carpool whenever possible and assist in giving each other a ride to cut down on fuel consumption.
He directed the public to cut down on non-essential travel to avoid incurring extra costs. This, according to Raila, will deny the government an opportunity to collect taxes.
Walk to Work
The opposition leader also appealed to all employers to allow time for their employees to walk to and from work in the spirit of civil disobedience.
Matatu Owners
The opposition leader urged matatu owners to double their carrying capacity while on the roads. Alluding to this, he noted that they ought to maintain fares at the same rates to avoid subjecting Kenyans to higher costs.
He also pointed out that the matatu owners should uphold tax boycotts while observing the safety measures on the roads.
Police Officers
The former Prime Minister urged police officers dispatched across the country to support his call by allowing matatus to carry above capacity so that Kenyans can stand in solidarity against the government.
VAT Taxes
He appealed to businesses to disable or avoid electronic tax registers and at the same time file nill returns on Value Added Taxes (VAT). He also urged business owners to give discounts and offers to cushion customers from the high cost of living.
Employers
Raila directed employers to ignore punitive deductions of employees' salaries and instead continue with the previous tax scheme that was in place before the passing of the Finance Act 2023. Raila claimed that the funds would be embezzled in a graft scheme by the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Ruto Motorcade
In another act of defiance, Raila instructed Kenyans to deny motorcades from President Ruto and his government the right of way. He told motorists to stand in solidarity by blocking their paths on the roads - with the exception of ambulances.
"Let us deny motorcades the right of way. They may sound the sirens at their wish but everyone must follow the directive," he stated.
The Azimio revealed that they would unveil a programme for nationwide civil disobedience on Friday, July 7.
