Finance Bill 2024: Mudavadi says govt decisions will not always be popular

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi is appealing to Kenyans to appreciate efforts being made by the government to ensure it runs its programmes and provides essential services to every citizen.

Amid extensive debate over the contents of the Finance Bill 2024, Mudavadi, also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, noted that decisions made by the government in this regard may be tough but necessary.

According to Mudavadi, the country finds itself in a situation where it must generate its revenue.

“I ask a fundamental question. If you were in the driving seat, what would you do under the current circumstances to get us out of the challenges that we have? That’s a very important question because it’s quite easy sometimes to make a lot of comments,” he said

To fulfill its constitutional mandate, the Prime CS further noted that the government is sometimes forced to resort to initiatives that may not please everyone.

“As we reflect important aspect of finance of government, let us distinguish between what is a popular government and what is a populist government. Sometimes we all fall into the trap of being extremely populist because it sounds good and you get an applaud,” he said

“We must look at it in the context that we must take and make certain decisions so that at the end of the day it is the government that draws the collective popularity as opposed to a government that is populist because then we might not be making the right decisions,” added Mudavadi

Mudavadi spoke at a time when the government was forced to drop some contentious tax proposals contained in the Finance Bill 2024. The proposals have also been met with protests from various groups including the opposition which have termed them punitive to the ordinary citizens.

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