Finance Bill: Leaders at centre of Gen Z's anger

Leader of the Majority at the National Assembly Kimani Ichung’wah. [File, Standard]

As anti-tax protests rage in major parts of the country, a section of Kenya Kwanza leaders find themselves in the spotlight for enraging the critical mass of the young generation driving the protests by saying things they should not have said.

Their bullish campaign for the Finance Bill 2024, and at times using demeaning and derogatory language, these leaders have earned themselves a vintage place in Generation Z’s line of fire.

By voting yes, and arrogantly dismissing critics, they stoked anger from Kenyans who were opposed to the punitive tax measures proposed in the Bill and are now reeling from the weight of their decisions.

An enraged public has descended on some of their homes, properties and offices, which they have vandalised and torched forcing some to retreat from their homes, and others to ride in less glamourous cars so as not to attract attention, while others have been forced to print T-shirts emblazoned with apologies. 

In the eyes of Gen Z, some of the key suspects are Chief Economic Advisor to the President David Ndii, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u, leader of the majority at the National Assembly Kimani Ichung’wah, majority chief whip Sylvanus Osoro and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro.

Others are Molo MP Kimani Kuria who chaired the parliamentary budget committee, Dagoretti MP John Kiarie, Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a, Kiambu woman rep Anne Wamuratha and Kitui South MP Rachel Nyamai.

The easiest target has been Ichung’wah whose unrelenting role in mobilising the House to vote in favour of the Bill came back to haunt him after President Ruto refused to sign the Bill and recommended for its withdrawal.

Ichung’wah as the leader of the majority spearheaded and advocated for government business in the House, but adopted a bullish attitude that led to his Kikuyu constituency NG-CDF offices being razed down.

His now infamous remarks about Gen Zs also didn’t sit well with Kenyans when he claimed that the protestors did not understand the real struggle like lack of of electricity.

“The Gen Z have iPhones and use Ubers to protest. Wanatoka maandamano wanaingia KFC kukula kuku na minofu, maji ni ile ya chupa...si mliwaona? Hawajui shida stima ni kitu gani...wako na umeme 24/7,” he said during a meeting in Narok East constituency.

In defense of the Bill, he reiterated: “All these monies that will be used for development come from this Finance Bill; money for bursaries, school feeding programmes, power connectivity, construction of roads, social health care, and provision of water, among other needs.”

David Ndii attracted the ire of Kenyans not only by his continued defence of the Bill but by mocking the youth protests by likening the anti-tax protests to “wanking”.

Kimani Kuria, who was the face of the punitive Bill, had his residence in Treasure Island estate in Molo constituency “occupied”. He later disclosed that three of his vehicles had been torched, his house vandalised and 10,000 chickens killed.

CS Ndungú has since been convicted in the court of public opinion for the introduction of the Finance Bill, which he banked on to raise Sh300 billion in additional revenue. 

When mandarins from Treasury failed to explain the justifications of some of the taxes on diapers, vehicles and bread, Kenyans dismissed him as a stooge for the International Monetary Fund.

Other leaders such as Thika town MP Alice Ng’ang’a, Millicent Omanga and Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda have been on the receiving end thanks to their continued flaunting of wealth online which has largely been interpreted as a mockery to Kenyans struggling with the high cost of living.