When taxman recruited butchers to raise revenue

Colonial administrators at a village during the Mau Mau crackdown in the 1950s. [File, Standard]

This is not a good time to be a taxman. Taxpayers are hungry, broke and angry. The country is fighting off the worst drought in 40 years which has left almost five million people without food.

And yet the taxman must raise revenue so that the government can meet its obligations such as ensuring that there are enough medical supplies for all.