Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claimed that the Finance Bill 2026 drafted by the National Treasury under Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi is the worst in Kenya’s history.
Speaking on Friday, June 5, Gachagua described it as a punitive bill and argued that it should not be allowed to be passed into law.
He stated that the Finance Bill 2026 increases heavy taxation pressure, doubles compliance pressure and escalates household costs.
“This is the worst Finance Bill in the history of Kenya. It does not deserve the light of the day. The Bill is heavily detrimental,” Gachagua declared.
The ex-DP claimed that while Kenyans expected the Bill to offer them relief and cushion them against tough economic times, it punished them further by setting unattainable tax goals.
“Our first concern is the continued pursuit of unrealistic revenue targets despite a history of underperformance and an underperforming economy,” he stated.
The DCP Leader questioned why the government opted to introduce new taxes amid reports that the taxman had allegedly failed to meet collection targets due to harsh economic times.
He stated the unattainable targets pushed Kenyans into economic distress and proposed a raft of measures to reduce the tax burden on Kenyans.
Gachagua stated that if elected to office, his administration would stop the Housing Levy deductions. He urged President William Ruto’s administration to cut wasteful and non-essential expenditure.
He added that if elected, he would slash the State House budget and prioritise funding of the education, agriculture and health sectors.
The DCP Leader held that the government should be held accountable for every shilling it spent, and asked the Parliament to take its role with the seriousness it deserves.
Gachagua also slammed the proposed budget for the 2026/27 Financial Year. He claimed that it was out of touch with the needs of the ordinary Kenyan.
One of his main concerns was the proposed borrowing to fill in the budget deficit, which he argued would hurt Kenyans more in the long run.
