Ruto’s Warning for Tax-Evading Big Shots

President William Ruto on Monday, January 30 fired a warning at individuals he accuses of evading taxes. According to the President, powerful individuals in government have been avoiding paying their taxes in previous years – a practice he says he will bring to an end.

Ruto was speaking in Mombasa County, where he also took on Azimio coalition leader Raila Odinga who in recent weeks has demanded Ruto’s resignation in massive rallies at Kamukunji and Jacaranda grounds in Nairobi. Odinga has maintained that he won the August 2022 poll, stating that the results announced by the electoral commission were manipulated.

Odinga has been rallying his supporters as he demands an audit of the election and IEBC servers, electoral reforms and the ouster of Ruto – latching onto disaffection over the high cost of living and taxes.

“Mr. Ruto has turned into Zacchaeus who was collecting taxes in the Bible. We have told Kenyans to refuse to pay taxes to Mr. Zacchaeus,” Odinga stated at the Jacaranda rally on Sunday, January 29.

In an apparent dig at Azimio, Ruto implied that demonstrations against his administration were being sponsored by those keen on continuing their tax-evading ways. Ruto’s predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta was among backers of former Prime Minister Odinga’s bid for President on an Azimio coalition ticket.