What did the 2017-2018 budget mean to Kenyans?

A majority of residents in the Capital Nairobi are of the opinion that the 2017/2018 budget does not cater for the common mwanainchi.

The Citizen Digital interviewed some of them after the Treasury Cabinet Secretary, Henry Rotich, presented the budget statement in Parliament.

Decision by the Jubilee administration to impose a 50% tax on Betting Firms and Gaming has not been taken well by Kenyans who feel that “the government is interfering” with their only ‘hope’ in a system that has sidelined the poor.

“Jubilee has failed to deal with bigger issues like corruption in ministries, now they want to kill betting firms and the little money that we win. If you assess the winners of jackpots, most of them come from poor families,” lamented a Mr Omondi from Nairobi’s Allsops estate.

Others feel that the proposal by the Government to increase funding of cash transfers to persons above the age of 70 is a blackmail tactic for the elderly to vote back Jubilee in the coming August polls.

“The money is to be disbursed in four months time. In four months, we will be in August, the election month, so Jubilee is trying to force the elderly to re-elect President Uhuru Kenyatta,” said another resident, who requested anonymity.

Some have termed the government’s implementation to lower the prices of basic commodities like maize flour as a ‘first aid’ move that solves the problem for a short time, advising the government to focus on funding food security projects countrywide as a long-term solution for achieving sustainable livelihoods.

However, some have lauded the Uhuru-led Administration for increasing taxes that betting firms and alcohol brewers will be paying.

“This move is good because people have committed suicide and rendered bankrupt because of betting. This will discourage them from participating. Increasing wines and spirits tax is a win for the government,” said a Ms Lydia.