This archive report was first published on 14 October 2019.
Published on October 14, 2019, Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit of the Anglican Church of Kenya has expressed concerns over the government's taxation policies and borrowing habits.
Speaking during a farewell ceremony for Bishop James Ochiel, Sapit emphasized that excessive taxation creates an unfavourable environment for investment, which is crucial for economic growth. He noted that this leads to people having little economic opportunity.
The Archbishop also urged the government to stop taking loans excessively from foreign banks, which will prove to be a burden for Kenyans in the future. He expressed worry that most of the funds borrowed by the government are not utilized to improve the livelihood of the common man.
“My observation shows that the greater percentage of these funds which the Government borrows goes into the pockets of the corrupt instead of undertaking development projects,” Sapit said.
He condemned corruption, stating that it has led to the accumulation of national resources into the hands of a few individuals who are in power. “Kenyans need roads, drugs in hospitals and other development projects. We cannot achieve this if we keep losing public funds to corruption,” said Sapit.
The Archbishop argued that the Anglican Church of Kenya will not tire of pointing out wrongdoings in government. His comments were supported by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’, who opined that the government had failed to demonstrate an ability to utilize borrowed funds.
“Today Kenya has a debt of Sh5.5 trillion but we have opened the door for the treasury to borrow another Sh3.5 trillion. Time has come for senators to discourage excessive borrowing which exposes this country to huge debts,” said Kajwang’.
