Recycled tax relief and politics of pretence to hoodwink voters

Recycled tax relief and politics of pretence to hoodwink voters. [File, Standard]

The government is selling Kenyans a lie, sugarcoated for elections. It says an “amendment” will exempt 1.5 million workers earning Sh30,000 and below from PAYE. Superficially, it sounds generous.

But the tax code exposes the truth: Kenyans earning below about Sh24,000 were already effectively PAYE-exempt through existing tax bands and personal relief. Nothing new has happened. This is rebranding, old policy dressed up as fresh generosity and political theatre.