Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) chairperson Samuel Atandi has accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former BAC chairperson Ndindi Nyoro of the huge tax burden the country is currently facing.

“President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration mismanaged our economy through heavy borrowing and individuals who served in that regime should not lecturer us, said Atandi during a press conference in his Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) office.

“Mr Nyoro presided over the heavy borrowing during his tenure as BAC chairman,” he further added. Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro recently alleged that the government was borrowing using fuel tax revenues without Parliamentary approval.

“For the first time in the history of our country, we are going to spend over Sh1 trillion on interest payment. This is a lot of money that should have been used on development. Mr Nyoro should not throw mud at what this regime is doing because that will be hypocrisy,” said Mr Atandi.

He went ahead and declared that securitisation of the Roads Maintenance Levy Fund as a scam, “Roads Maintenance Levy Fund is the making of a big scandal in Kenya,” said Nyoro.

The latest treasury data indicate that Kenya’s current debt rose from KSh 10.4 trillion in March 2024 to KSh 1 Trillion from local banks, pension schemes and insurance funds.

Mr Atandi declared that BAC will slash budget cuts on non-essential spending in the 2025/2026 budget to put more money into development. “While debt is unavoidable, we must borrow prudently going forward. I want to assure the country that even as we undertake budget cuts, we will deliver a budget that is equitable, fair and covers all parts of our country,” he said.