In a candid interview on Citizen TV, Narok Senator Ledama Olekina openly criticized the Kenyan Parliament for consistently disregarding public opinions during the legislative process.
According to Olekina, insights and suggestions from the public, including those gathered during recent contentious discussions on the Finance Bill, are routinely ignored.
“All the views of Kenyans regarding the painful reality of our financial situation will not be considered.” He emphasized that this neglect extends to the latest round of public participation held on Monday, where citizens voiced their concerns about the proposed Finance Bill, which many believe will impose harsh economic burdens.
The senator highlighted the growing disconnect between the government and its citizens, stressing the importance of creating a space where the public can fully understand and engage with the 2024–2025 budget.
“The most important thing we need to focus on is to try to listen to Kenyans because we are not listening to them,” he said, underscoring the need for more inclusive governance.
Olekina also raised concerns about the government’s decision to increase tax rates in the proposed budget, attributing it to external pressures from international financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
“The challenge is that we are not controlling ourselves. The IMF and the World Bank are the ones who are dictating which policies we should implement,” he remarked.
He further criticized the government’s financial management, stating that the proposed budget, which has been increased from Ksh.3.7 trillion for the 2023–2024 fiscal year to a projected Ksh.4 trillion, is unrealistic and influenced by external forces.
“You will continue to have a utopian budget that will be followed by a number of supplementary budgets to try and realign your own budget to see what you can achieve,” he added, pointing out the flaws in the current budgetary process.
Senator Olekina’s comments come ahead of the budget reading by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ngung’u, scheduled for today. The budget presentation, which outlines the government’s financial plans for the next fiscal year, is expected to spark significant debate within Parliament.
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