Karua, Nyoro, Matiang'i dismiss Ruto’s tax relief pledges as 2027 campaign bait

By  Mercy Koskei

Correspondent

Opposition leaders have dismissed President William Ruto’s promises to lower Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax for low-income earners and increase the Hustler Fund borrowing limit, terming them campaign pledges ahead of the 2027 General Election.

People’s Party of Kenya leader Ndindi Nyoro, Jubilee Party’s Fred Matiang’i and People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua said the promises made during Tuesday’s Mashujaa Day celebrations were a political strategy rather than a genuine commitment to easing the economic burden on Kenyans.

The leaders spoke on Wednesday during a tour of Njoro in Nakuru County.

Mr Nyoro accused President Ruto of failing to honour his commitments to Kenyans since taking office, saying the latest promises would do little to address the challenges facing ordinary citizens.

He challenged the President to focus on fulfilling pledges made during the 2022 election campaign, arguing that Kenyans continued to struggle with the high cost of living years after Mr Ruto promised to improve their livelihoods.

Mr Nyoro also disputed the President’s assertion that the economy had stabilised, claiming that Kenya was recording slower economic growth than several countries in the region.

He said economic growth had yet to translate into meaningful relief for households and businesses struggling with rising costs.

“I respect you since you are older than me, but I will not be silent when you are lying to Kenyans. Those are campaign promises,” he said.

“I am telling the President to stop lying when he attends international forums. Kenyans know that you have messed with the economy, which is why they are saying you should just finish your term and go home.”

Turning to opposition politics, Mr Nyoro maintained that opposition leaders were united in their determination to defeat President Ruto in the 2027 elections.

He said the opposition would rally behind a single presidential candidate to challenge the President and secure victory without a run-off.

“We want to be a big team so that when Ruto conducts one meeting, we are across the country. We are together with the rest who are not here, and I want to ask them: Kenyans do not want anything else; they want us to be united and front one presidential candidate,” he said.

Ms Karua also insisted that the opposition was united in its resolve to remove the Kenya Kwanza administration from power in 2027.

She urged opposition leaders to welcome all political parties seeking to join their ranks without discrimination, saying the movement should remain open to leaders committed to bringing change.

Ms Karua said an opposition government would prioritise job creation and ensure that Kenyans could afford basic necessities, including food.

She also urged opposition leaders to avoid exchanging harsh words and instead focus on building a strong political movement, warning that internal divisions and personal attacks could undermine their efforts to challenge the government.

“When you see us here, we are united as opposition. Other leaders are in other engagements. We are just going round, but at the end we will unite behind one candidate. Kenyans should join us so that we vote out this government. We want people who are working for Kenyans, not their personal interests,” she said.

Ms Karua challenged voters to reject politicians who abandon their campaign promises after being elected to Parliament, as well as those accused of corruption and disregarding the rule of law.

Dr Matiang’i, meanwhile, faulted the government for failing to resolve the ongoing lecturers’ strike, accusing it of neglecting university workers’ grievances and disrupting learning in public universities.

He called on the government to prioritise negotiations and honour its commitments to university lecturers to end the strike and restore normal learning.

Dr Matiang’i said the 2027 elections would offer Kenyans an opportunity to demand better leadership and reject politicians who put personal interests ahead of development.

“We urge Kenyans not to elect bad leaders who do not support development, as we have seen over the past four years. As opposition, we will have democracy, accountability and the change our country deserves,” he said.

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