Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua has called on President William Ruto to respect former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Speaking during the Limuru III meeting, Karua says the former President created a culture of respecting retired presidents, which should have set an example for Ruto.
“Mwai Kibaki took power from a living president and he fostered a tradition of respecting retired presidents. We are demanding that Ruto should respect Uhuru Kenyatta as a retired head of state. He should accord him the respect he deserves if he expects respect from us when he retires,” Karua said.
Karua, who emphasized the unity of the Mt Kenya region, demanded that revenue sharing should be based on population and not land masses.
“We must agree that those who showed up for the meeting are people keen on the Mt Kenyan unity and we appreciate all those who turned up. We are advocating for one Mountain one voice. The door is open for all who want to join us in this regional unity call. Our people should desist from being used to create division amongst us as the people of the Mt Kenya region,” she said.
“When the Kenyatta farm was attacked we thought it was politics, now they have moved to attack the poor like the displaced thousands in Ndabibi next they will come for you if you don’t stand with your brother. We should stand for the truth and we should stand together as the people of the mountain.”
Karua on taxes
Karua also complained that Kenyans were being overtaxed, following the introduction of several taxes since the Kenya Kwanza regime took power.
“We haven’t refused to pay tax, the government is run through taxes. But they should not over-tax Kenyans. Why take more from Kenyans and deny them quality services?” she posed.
“We are advocating for one man, one vote, one shilling revenue sharing. Mt Kenya is the largest contributor of revenue to the government and so the revenue share should equally reflect that. Take the money where the people are. We reject any revenue-sharing formula that is not pegged on the population. The equalisation fund should be used to boost infrastructure development in marginalized counties.”
She also called for austerity measures to ensure taxes are utilized appropriately.
“Kenyans are united to resist oppression from this regime. Zakayo wants to tax everything and everyone. If he had the powers he would tax the air that we breathe,” she added.
“We will organise more forums to discuss the issues affecting the people of Mt Kenya. Our coffee, milk, tea, miraa, Muguka and the over-taxation.”
Karua has also asked the government to resettle persons affected by floods in the affordable houses, which were built using taxpayers’ money.
“The affordable housing project by Ruto done using money forced out of Kenyans and using government land should be used to settle the people who were affected by floods,” she said.
Karua says they will collect views of what is affecting the Mt Kenya people and ask Ruto to address and if he fails, the region will send him home.
