“Government can never get broke, it is people like you and me who get broke,” – Joseph Kinyua, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance

Did you know that Kenya ranks 4^th in the Global Property Guide’s list of Most highly taxed countries; ranked a place higher than United States of America, a country which sends a portion of its revenue to Kenya as aid. While this is the case, Kenya has a deficit of 45% required to finance the 1.4 trillion budget for the 2012 – 2013 fiscal budget.

Instead of cutting down on government expenditure, our legislatures actually attempted to increase their send off package, money that would have come from our taxes.

Taxes that should have been used to subsidize cost of food production subsequently resulting in affordable food prices, ends up in pocket of a select few selfish individuals. To worsen the situation, food prices are expected to increase now that treasury plans to scrap off tax cuts on essential food items such as wheat. Doing away with tax cuts is the “only” way through which the tax man can collect revenue required to cover the 45% deficit in the budget.

We are taxed left right and center, revenue that goes into financing a bloated Government, one that is even costly since it is corrupt. We elected our MPs to represent us, not to waste our money in send off packages. My tax money should be used for the immediate care of the poorest and not the wealthiest Kenyans.  Taxpayers' shillings should be spent on saving lives of children who die every day from preventable disease, instead of being used to fatten the overfed politicians.

People of conscience can’t afford to remain silent. I have done my part in paying taxes. If the revenue government has collected  isn’t enough then cut on government expenditure.

As Joseph Kinyua, PS, Ministry of Finance puts it: “Government can never get broke, it is people like you and me who get broke.”