Waihiga Mwaure campaigns in Meru, promises to slash PAYE by half

Agano party presidential candidate David Mwaure Waihiga has promised to lower the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax by half if elected President.

Mr Waihiga, who takes his campaigns to Meru on Friday, observed that Kenyans were highly taxed but a big chunk of money collected is misappropriated through corruption.

Reducing PAYE by 50 percent, he said in Murang'a yesterday, will leave more money in the pockets of Kenyans and boost their purchasing power.

He promised to lower PAYE immediately after he gets into office.

Kenya, Mr Waihiga said, is broke and needs emergency interventions to revive the economy and lower the high cost of living.

He said if money collected through taxes is prudently used, Kenya would be a far wealthier country.

“This country is very rich. What has been lacking is good shepherds who can protect the resources and provide better services to mwananchi,” he said in Murang’a town.

“The forthcoming elections should be different, where Kenyans can put the right leaders into leadership and avoid recycling those who have brought our economy to its knees.”

He also said removing tax penalties will also encourage people to take their money to banks and increase liquidity in the country.

Mr Waihiga, who was with his running mate Ruth Mucheru, alleged that Kenya had lost about Sh240 trillion since independence due to graft, adding that if the money had been used well, the country would be economically stable.

“It’s a shame that a country which got independence in 1963 is still fighting poverty, unemployment and lack of quality health care. This is the time for Kenyans to vote in leaders who are not going to amass wealth but serve every Kenyan in the right manner,” he said.

He castigated his competitors, saying they had served the government in various positions but had failed to provide better services to the people.

The high cost of living, Mr Waihiga said, was due to bad governance and corruption, saying high tax rates are meant to enable the government to fill deficits created when money is siphoned through corruption.

“My competitors are claiming how they will bring change in this country yet they are still in government. Others have failed to advise the President well on better ways to lower the cost of living,” Mr Waihiga said.

He said that as a lawyer and a member of the clergy, he would ensure Kenyans’ rights are protected under his leadership.

He said he would ensure that money hidden in foreign countries is returned and channeled into development.

“I am a better alternative for leadership of this country and I request Kenyans to support my presidential bid because I have solutions to heal our economy,” he said.

Mr Waihiga and his team are focusing their end-week campaigns in Mt Kenya counties.