Budget showed that government also has duty to promote morality

National Treasury CS Henry Rotich moments before he read the budget. [David Gichuru, Standard]

Often in life, we are faced with situations where two sides each present strong arguments, making it hard to determine which the better course of action is. When in such a situation, each of us must locate their inner compass to guide them.

For me, this compass is the Bible. God’s holy words hold everlasting truth which can be applied to every situation in life, from the lofty to the mundane. It is equally applicable and valid to evaluating decisions that our government takes.

The recent debate around the budget for the 2019/20 financial year shows that we have become a truly free and mature nation. Instead of debating personality, we are debating policy.

Instead of obscure decision-making in smoke-filled rooms by dubious elites, our future is decided by a government and Parliament that have been freely elected to represent us, the Kenyan people.

In his presentation, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich outlined some tough measures. Understanding the importance of balanced budgets, he did the only thing he could, while showing responsibility for the welfare of the future generations: he chose some taxes to raise so that we can continue to develop the country.

Apostle Paul wrote in Corinthians (15:33): “Do not be deceived. Bad company ruins good morals”. This verse came into my mind when I first read about CS Rotich’s intention to raise the proverbial ‘sin tax’. Levying a premium on gambling is, in the long term and from a general point of view, the best thing that could happen to Kenya.

We all know the detrimental effects that gambling has on individuals, families and communities. Money earmarked to be spent on a child’s education ends up being wasted by possessed fathers in casinos. Instead of feeding their families, they feed cold, metallic slot machines.

Driven by the sinful greed, they are blinded and not aware of their losses. In the end, simple statistics as well as overwhelming experience proves that wealth never awaits the gambler. Instead they, family and community are drawn into the spiral of poverty.

However, this can be prevented. And it is our government’s job to prevent it. As the 17th century philosopher Thomas Hobbes laid out in his seminal work, Leviathan, security is a government’s most basic responsibility towards its citizens. It is government’s true raison d'être. Hence, we should demand from our government to protect us from all harmful influences, and gambling is one of them.

In this vein, the government’s decision to raise the tax on gambling should be welcomed by all moral and God-fearing Kenyans. In fact, this measure brings us closer to such exemplary nations like Germany, France and Denmark, where the gambling tax rates are as high as 90 per cent!

These are countries which protect their citizens from damaging influences, not only gambling. In order to reduce consumption of harmful substances, they also tax cigarettes and CO2 emissions highly. They protect their society and ensure that families are stable and healthy.

We should aspire to the same. While President Uhuru Kenyatta has a strong vision for our country’s prosperous future and a plan how to realise this goal called the Big Four, this might not be enough. We also need to change our mindset and minimise the vices in our society. Graft, crime and gambling are too prevalent.

While government agencies are tackling corruption head on, the budget shows a shift in the other areas as well. Security agencies receive a big chunk of the budget, around Sh325 billion. All these efforts combined will surely improve our economic situation, with security being the basis for creating a climate that encourages investment and growth.

We need to take this perspective when judging the current decisions of the government. It is not enough to look at them as an individual living in the present, but rather from a collective perspective, focused on the future. And of course, keep a strong faith that God will not forsake our blessed country.

- The writer is a former Member of Parliament for Thika Town