• Gladys Boss Shollei has pointed out that there needs to be stiffer measures installed by government to alleviate Kenyans from the harsh economic crunch
• She defended the proposals made in the Finance Bill 2023 which have since elicited contention among leaders
• Shollei argued that Kenyans are being deceived by those opposing the bill and should instead take time to scrutinize the proposals
National Assembly Deputy Speaker and Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Boss Shollei has opined that there needs to be stiffer measures installed by government to alleviate Kenyans from the harsh economic crunch.
Gladys Boss Shollei
This she said while defending the proposals made in the Finance Bill 2023 which have since elicited contention among leaders sitting in the National Assembly and the Senate.
According to Shollei, the bill is dedicated to alleviating low-income earners (hustlers) from the prevailing tax burden by straining the importation of certain products to encourage local production and eventually curb unemployment.
Speaking on an interview with Citizen TV on Monday, Shollei argued that Kenyans are being deceived by those opposing the bill and should instead take time to scrutinize the proposals.
“The duty that has been increased is on certain products; imported steel, cement, fertilizer products, imported paint and imported furniture so that we can now be able to increase local manufacturing,” she said.
“It’s about job creation, so no hustler is being taxed we are taxing imports to create jobs or else we are employing children from China or other countries instead of employing our own. It’s a hustler-driven tax which is not being born by hustlers.”
The Uasin Gishu county MP added that given the candid intention of the proposals, she will vote YES once the bill is presented on the floor of parliament on June 15 for debate.
“We are doing this so that we can raise money to transform the economy so that the hustler can have a better life,” noted Shollei.
“It cannot be morally correct that me as a leader is refusing to donate Ksh.2500 so that people in Kibra can have houses with water, sanitation, electricity and that children can have safe playing space,” she added.
“All these wealthy people who are comfortable are afraid of paying tax but they are telling hustlers nyinyi ndio mtalipa tax.”
For Kenya to come out of the current precipice it sits at, Shollei said there needs to be tough and uncomfortable measures enforced.
Citing an example of Singapore, from where the government will be borrowing models to actualize its affordable housing project, Shollei stated that they were once in a similar dire situation as Kenya and could not achieve its development success were it not for the reforms they made.
“Singapore did the same exact thing, it was one huge slum, and they went on the housing project. There was a levy, houses were built and today 90% of Singaporeans own houses,” she said.
“They didn’t come there out of the blue it was some painful decisions that had to be made. Kenyans need to wake up [to the fact] that painful decisions have to be made, we’ve got to tighten the belt a little bit in order for us to get the dream country we want.”
Meanwhile, the Azimio coalition has signaled to resume anti-government protests if the controversial bill 2023 is not reviewed, with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua asserting that the bill will pass in parliament.
