Nairobi — Senate Deputy Minority Leader Enoch Wambua has urged President William Ruto to avoid introducing new taxes and instead address growing public frustration during his upcoming State of the Nation Address.
In a statement, the Kitui Senator said the annual address, required under Article 132 of the Constitution, comes at a time when Kenyans are burdened by corruption, heavy taxation, unfulfilled promises, and shattered expectations.
President Ruto is scheduled to deliver the address in Parliament on Thursday afternoon amid mounting pressure over economic performance, revenue collection gaps, debt repayment strains, and questions surrounding the credibility of his bottom-up transformation agenda.
Wambua warned against using the occasion to push the proposed Infrastructure Development Fund, calling it another attempt to tap into citizens' incomes.
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"Kenyans are already overtaxed. Any new measure to squeeze a penny out of Kenyans would be too much to bear for salaried workers, businesses, and ordinary households," he said.
State of the economy? Hits and misses ahead of annual address
"The attack on the Kenyan payslip by this regime is a major blow to every household in this country."
Fiscal discipline
The Senator also criticised the Kenya Kwanza administration for lacking fiscal discipline and called for transparency and competence in public resource management.
He singled out the Executive's appetite for punitive laws, including the Cyber Crimes Amendment Act, 2025, saying it undermines free speech and digital activism.
On the economy, Wambua opposed the government's push to privatize strategic state assets such as the Kenya Pipeline Company, describing the move as short-sighted and dangerous.
"If we sell Kenya Pipeline to finance the 2025/2026 budget, what shall we sell to finance subsequent budgets? This is not just appetite, it is greed and it must be tamed," he said.
Wambua further criticised the handling of the education sector, citing a 49-day lecturers' strike and the delay in confirming 20,000 Junior Secondary School intern teachers.
"Why not begin with these intern teachers who have already been doing a great job for a paltry pay? What they are asking for is a drop in the ocean compared to the President's pronouncements on multibillion-shilling projects," he said.
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He also urged President Ruto to exercise restraint and avoid insulting political opponents during public events, warning that such behaviour sets a poor example for the nation.
"It depicts him as an intolerant and desperate leader when he publicly insults his opponents. Parents are now finding it difficult to encourage their children to watch presidential functions because of the insults coming from the President," Wambua said.
