The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has issued a strong plea to the government, urging them to reduce the heavy tax burden on Kenyan citizens.
The church leaders, who gathered at the NCCK Nyanza Region’s 14th Regional Conference in Kisumu, expressed deep concern over the government’s insensitivity in proposing new taxes in the Finance Bill 2024.
“We continue to plead with the national and county governments to reduce the level of taxation.”
“It is shocking to us that government officials can be so insensitive as to propose new taxes in the Finance Bill 2024,” said the church leaders.
According to the NCCK, the current level of taxation has had a devastating impact on the population, leading to an alarming increase in depression among the people.
Therefore, the church leaders warned that a depressed and angry populace could have severe consequences for the nation.
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“This is increasing depression among the people, and we do not know whether the government has considered the implications of a depressed and angry populace.”
Church Leaders Warn Against Corruption
Inspired by the theme “Dignified Livelihoods, Resilient Communities,” the conference also focused on addressing corruption and promoting ethical governance in Kenya.
Drawing from Deuteronomy 16:19, which emphasizes justice and impartiality, the church leaders emphasized the urgent need to combat corruption that has eroded justice, professionalism, and equality in the country.
“The greatest tragedy of our nation is that justice, professionalism, equity and equality before the law have been sacrificed on the altar of corruption,” noted NCCK.
The NCCK called for a radical transformation in the mindset of government officials, urging them to shift from a consumerism mentality to a producer mentality.
“We now call upon the national and county governments to focus on radical transformation of their mindsets from the hunter-gatherer mentality that pushes them to grab everything in sight,” added the church leaders.
“The future of our nation depends on the deliberate measures we take to change from a consumerism mentality to a producer mentality.”
They recommended that government plans and budgets prioritize production and value addition over expenditure on goods and services.
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Impact of Taxation on Businesses
Furthermore, the church leaders highlighted the impact of current taxation policies on businesses and investments, leading to unmanageable levels of taxation that hinder economic growth.
“The Finance Acts passed by Parliament in the past 5 years, as well as the County Finance Appropriation Bills, have systematically muzzled businesses and investments by raising taxation to unmanageable levels,” stated NCCK.
“This is killing the future lives of our people by hindering micro-level industrialization.”
They urged county governments to create favorable business environments by consolidating and rationalizing fees, levies, and licenses required by different agencies and authorities.
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