THE PRODIGAL GOVERNMENT

 

By Francis Masai

Email: francismasai526@gmail.com

In an era defined by financial prudence and accountability, the actions of excessive spending by government stands as stark anomaly. There is clearly excessive spending, uncontrolled borrowing leading to high debt levels and mismanagement of public funds by some government officials.

‘Empty coffers’ statement by the Deputy President is still a question to many Kenyans whereas according to the controller of budget review for the financial year 2022/2023 released in May showed that the president Ruto’s administration spends over Ksh.14 billion on domestic and foreign travel alone. The office of the president spends over Ksh 681 million on travel indicating a 113% increase compared to the year before that. This raised questions among Citizens that is the government extravagantly spending on trips which most citizen felt that maybe they could be of no benefit to the economy as a nation. Kenyans took it on social media platforms claiming that the economic constraints they are experiencing is as a result of high government expenditure on areas that can not even be identified or felt.

High taxation, high expenditure by the government and at the same time high cost of fuel and commodities raises eyebrows for  many Kenyans who feel that the government is becoming reckless on how they source and spend the finances they have. Some  UDA members of parliament have even come out to plead with the president to lower the cost of living because they feel that they are losing popularity at the areas they represent yet they are the same people who passed the finance bill in parliament which saw the increase of taxes making pay slips of Kenyans to shrink. This made most Kenyans to conclude that the  government is no longer for the hustlers as  promised. Unbearable taxes, levies and recent increase in cost of government services including application for National IDs and passport stirs up the reaction of Kenyans. Debt continues to accrue as Kenyan shilling day by day continues to depreciate.

Members of National assembly voted to approve the deployment of 1000 police officers in Haiti for a peace keeping mission that will cost Ksh. 36.5 billion. Kenyans on the other hand feel that they are still struggling to satisfy their physiological needs such as adequate food, clean water and affordable primary health care and the government peace keeping mission in a foreign land is a mismatched priority for them. They suggest that the government could have first prioritized stabilizing the economy before extending their hand to a foreign land although covering it up, the CS for interior explained that the money to be spent on that mission will be obtained from the UN state members.

Subjectively, Kenyans should not just talk in silence but they should come out and give the government a cautionary reminder on the importance of prudence, fiscal responsibility and accountability in leadership. The government also need to listen to its citizens’ views before making decisions which will affect the public. It should understand that its only through thoughtful, disciplined and inclusive decision making can government ensure stability and fulfillment of their societal responsibilities.