taxpayers lobby wants govt to invest in essential projects for creation of more jobs

NAIROBI, Kenya, June 30 -A taxpayer’s lobby group has asked the government to invest more in essential projects in which Kenyans can generate income, even as the economy starts to recover from COVID-19 shocks.

National Coordinator of National Taxpayers Association Irene Otieno said the same effect will trickle down to taxpayers if priority is given to projects such as urban planning and affordable housing.

“We want to see that the growth that the government is actually mentioning to reflect into essential services such as more water points and affordable housing to the taxpayers of Kenya,” said Otieno.

According to Otieno, the government shifted its attention to the construction of roads and other infrastructure projects. “But you will find that we have really made huge roads and infrastructure projects,” she added.

The statement comes at a time when the Central Bank of Kenya governor Patrick Njoroge announced that Kenya’s economy has been bouncing back since May owing to increased exports in tea, flowers and vegetables.  

“By all indications in May the economy is bouncing back, the expectation that we were going to sink really much further, that has not been borne by reality or numbers,” Njoroge said during post MPC media briefing.

Last month, the committee however left the economy’s growth forecast for the year at 2.3 percent.