From secrets to statements, and why Kibaki's budgets hit home

Finance Minister Mwai Kibaki outside Parliament Buildings in June 1973. [File, Standard]

Today is Budget Day. In the very old days, it was the day when traders would hoard their stocks in the expectation of price hikes from more taxes.

We would all be glued to our TVs waiting to hear which of our sins would be punished. In those days, the Finance Bill was pretty much a state secret. Yet, as with all secrets, some people would still have an inside track on what to expect.