The Kenya University Students Organization (KUSO) has mobilized all comrades in the country to join the planned demos against the Finance Bill 2024-2025 in different counties.
In a memo signed by KUSO President Wakili Saruni Jesse dated June 19, 2024 addressed to all varsity students, their leaders across all universities had consulted and agreed to stand with Kenyans against punitive high taxes imposed on parents and guardians who currently are struggling to make ends meet.
“In addition to the punitive taxes, the Finance Bill 2024 has proposed an increase in taxes that it claims to have been unchanged for a long time. In the same spirit, we would expect the Finance Bill to introduce an upward revision of the personal tax relief from Ksh2,400 per month to Ksh7,500 per month. This has not been considered,” the memo reads in part.
Jesse said the increased taxes will debilitate youth who are unemployed and have to repay Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loans with exorbitant interests.
He further demanded that the Finance Bill includes a clause to revise the Minimum Taxable Income by 38 per cent (equivalent to the proposed percentage increase on fuel levy) from Ksh24,001 to Ksh34,001.
“On this regard, I call upon all comrades of good will to come out tomorrow (today) and participate in the Occupy Parliament Peaceful procession,” the memo also reads.
Kenyans, especially the youths on social media, have vowed to hold Finance Bill protests across the country today just two days after they took to the streets to lament the increased taxes.
Tuesday’s protests, dubbed Occupy Parliament, coincided with the tabling of the Bill in the House.
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