Mbadi's troubles as CS will begin with the Finance Bill

Incoming National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi finds himself in a catch-22 situation as the country waits to see how he will balance what the Kenya Kwanza administration wants and his stand against huge taxation regimes.

He often appeared on live TV shows to speak against the many taxes that Kenyans were being subjected to. Now, the appointing authority expects him to fix those issues.

One wonders how he will balance his accounting books to meet the budget estimates and protect Kenyans from high taxes. Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria put it plainly about what awaits the new Treasury CS.

According to Kuria, the Kenya Kwanza administration settled on Mbadi to help fix the contentious budget-making and determine it's source of funding. Given the hard economic times, no Kenyan is ready for additional taxes. Mbadi will obviously burn the midnight oil to come up with new measures to raise the much-needed funds.

Already, Dr Ruto has hit the road, promising all and sundry mega projects even before a consensus is reached on how money will be raised to fund the projects. Gen Z took to the streets to protest against huge taxation as contained in the aborted 2024/2025 Finance Bill and have not given up--and are even demanding more.

This means Mbadi will find himself on the receiving end of the very ills he castigated his predecessors for; unwarranted increase of taxation regimes. Despite the chances being high that he will be cleared by the National Assembly, the hard part starts when the same MPs, acting to impress the public, won't make it easy for him to reintroduce the adjusted new Finance Bill.

Mbadi must be prepared to face a fierce and rejuvenated combination of Azimio MPs, some bitter that they were left out while he was favoured, and those who have strongly opposed the opposition's entry into government. If he fails to deliver and comes up with an unacceptable Finance Bill that could ignite a new wave of protests, Mbadi's continued stay in Cabinet might not be guaranteed. 

And what if Opiyo Wandayi, the Energy CS designate, is compelled to oversee an increase in fuel pump prices and the public hits the streets in disagreement? He too might be asked to leave. Will the two be able to advise the Ruto government, in which they will be the minority, against increasing taxes or fuel prices? 

If they fall out with the KK owners, whom will they turn to? The NADCO report, which was received and accepted by both Raila and Ruto discourages party hopping. How will the ODM leaders integrate their hardline positions before Cabinet and now? Once out in public forums, whose manifesto will they be implementing? There are many questions that the four ODM members in the KK administration will keep answering as they serve in government. 

To many, ODM goofed by allowing its top leaders to join the government. Many are of the view that instead of having one foot in government and the other in the Opposition,  Raila's lieutenants and those who fronted their names would have saved face by nominating ODM-allied professionals. Kenyans are watching how Raila navigates the current onslaught as he is simply co-managing Kenya with his political nemesis Ruto.

-Mr Omanga is a media practitioner. [email protected]