Why are so many Kenyans angry about taxes and the rising cost of living? Political analyst Peter Kagwanja says the answer lies in how the country runs its economy.
Speaking on Citizen TV’s DayBreak programme, Peter Kagwanja said many workers feel frustrated every payday after seeing huge deductions on their payslips while food, fuel, rent, and transport costs continue to rise.
“People are angry for a reason,” Kagwanja explained, arguing that Kenya depends too much on taxes collected from a small group of salaried workers instead of building industries and creating wealth.
He blamed the problem on an economic system that began during the colonial era and persisted after independence. According to him, governments focused more on collecting taxes than on growing manufacturing, creating jobs, and supporting businesses.
His remarks come at a time when Kenyans continue to complain about high fuel prices, housing levy deductions, and increasing taxes on basic goods and services. Recent protests over fuel prices and the high cost of living have also exposed growing public frustration.
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Peter Kagwanja questioned whether the government’s “bottom-up” economic model truly helps ordinary citizens if taxes keep rising. He noted that millions of Kenyans work in the informal sector while a small number of formal workers shoulder most of the tax burden.
Several economists and business leaders have also warned that high taxes could slow investments, hurt businesses, and reduce spending power among consumers.
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Political analyst Peter Kagwanja now wants the government to focus on creating jobs, supporting local industries, reducing wasteful spending, and growing the economy instead of introducing more taxes.
The debate continues:
Should Kenya increase taxes to raise revenue or cut spending and create more opportunities first?
