Didmus Baraza: Azimio funded by the State
Kimilili lawmaker Didmus Barasa has backed a proposal by Deputy President William Ruto to shoot down the budget.
In an interview with Citizen TV, the vocal lawmaker also claimed, but without providing proof, that Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s activities are funded by the State.
The law allows political party activities to be funded from public offers.
But there’s no provision for the political activities of an opposition leader – such as Odinga – to be funded by the State.
“Raila Odinga’s functions are similar to state functions. He’s been accorded state respect as if he is a state officer. He appears to have powers akin to those of a Deputy President or Prime Minister which comes with a cost,” claimed Barasa.
The vocal lawmaker also said Kenyans are struggling to survive in what he termed an oppressive tax regime, adding DP Ruto’s regime, if elected in August 2022, will lessen the high cost of living burden.
“We’re in an oppressive tax regime, where you have a bloated budget that is funded by taxing Kenyans all the time more and making the cost of living unbearable.”
The DP opened a new battlefront with his boss President Kenyatta over the 2022/23 Budget at the weekend, when he asked MPs allied to him to reject it.
And should the legislators fail to alter the Budget, the DP promised to dismember it if he wins the State House race in the August 9 General Election.
The DP said the Sh3.31 trillion Budget for the financial year starting July that was recently read in Parliament by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani was not people-friendly, and only seeks to increase the cost of living.
Barasa won his first term in office in the 2017 elections.