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Stop whining and pay your taxes, Govt Spox Cyrus Oguna tells Kenyans


Government Spokesperson Col. Cyrus Oguna on Tuesday blasted Kenyans for complaining about the current high taxes and the rising cost of living.

In a press briefing, Oguna told Kenyans to stop whining and instead “stand firm and support our government” by paying taxes to enable it to pay salaries to civil servants and also fund development projects.

“Serikali haifanyi biashara. Serikali ina jukumu lakuweza kupeana huduma. Kuna polisi, wanajeshi, watumishi wauma kama sisi ambao lazima tulipwe. Kuna barabara, hospitali na shule ambazo lazima ziwepo,” Oguna said.

He was reacting to the public outcry triggered by the move by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) to hike fuel prices, which effectively increases the cost of living.

According to the government spokesperson, Kenyans pay much less in form of taxes compared to those in developed countries in Europe.

“The amount of taxes those people in Europe pay is nothing compared to what we are paying here. So, we are crying when we should not cry. We should be standing firm and support our government. Let’s not cry all the time,” argued Oguna.

His remarks sparked mixed reactions on social media, with many faulting him for comparing Kenya to Europe in taxation yet there was a huge difference in how those taxes are used.