 Good morning! Thank you for staying Y254. Please good morning! If you're just joining us for the first time ever, my name is Valentine or at ColourMeVal but come on, not raising my nail. You know what to do with that interaction line that is at Y254 on Facebook, Y254 channel on Twitter, Y254 underscore channel on the gram. It is a very beautiful Monday morning. Nothing blue about it. However, it is now time to get into politics in the state of the nation. Fun fact, I never thought I'd be interested in politics but here we are. We just had a very interesting conversation with Stephanie Ayeta and it was all about career. So what I've taken home, what I have taken home from it is the difference between your career and your passion. And your passion can make you money or cannot make you money but your career is who you are and where you are comfortable at. If you missed it, don't worry. Small snippets of it will be uploaded of course on your favorite YouTube channel that is Y254. So with all this, remember my heart is still paining because one liter of fuel, 195 shillings, 0.53 cents. But that's neither here nor there. Good morning guys. You cannot smile because in the current situation, when you smile even the chief has contacts you for smiling. So the situation is so tough. I was just telling my colleague we should hurry up and think while we can because we might tax us for thinking. Yes. Very soon. So we are living in a worried country. Maybe let's hope but we don't have hope now because the hope has gone. Let's hope but we don't have hope. We don't have hope now. Okay. Before all that, please introduce yourself. I'll start with the lovely lady. What is your good name? My name is Gendrix, Shamim Juma. I'm humbled to be here. And you are, sir? Yeah. I'm Bill Clinton and I'm a politician. I'm a medical doctor and I'm also an activist. All of those three? All of those three. So I don't know which one they has to tax and leave me with the other one. How easy. We have freedom of expression because of the current state of our country. We just have to tell him everything on point blank so that he knows maybe those people who are surrounding him are not telling the exact situation on the ground. I'm going to take that comment and connect it with another thought I had and please feel free to tell me what you think. Please also remember that all these comments are individual. Yes. This is not a reflection of the station. But I am very curious because you said that we have freedom of speech, right? And while the finance bill has been making headlines for some time now, I actually thought it would be quite over after he signed it. And you know, 1st July has come and gone and it hasn't been implemented. Again, plot twist that is politics. You have now the high court involved and a lot of just things going on. So we're all holding our breath and trying to figure out what's going on. But it did make me, I want to say I was intrigued when he went to, and this is his excellency, he went ahead to say that this is the first time I've, a finance bill has been discussed by that's not my name. But that's, you know, you get it. So this is the first time the finance bill has been discussed so extensively. And prominently is the housing levy and the VAT going, doubling, yes, from 8% to 16%. Let me see who will not sign it off in parliament. Small, small, sounded like a threat. So is that really freedom of speech? Is it really being transparent? You see, at that one, he wasn't intimidating them. But what I can say, you see, he's the party leader of the ruling party. So he needs to cozaldate his troops together. The same way, our very good former prime minister did it. If someone, even those who didn't, would you vote, who supported the bill? So that means you're trying to know who is with you and who is not with you. And you see, this is a government and is the president. You see, so whichever little mistake he makes from the parliament, it will cost him a lot. So he has to put everything in order to make sure that he's still controlling the, his numbers, being the majority in the National Assembly. So that was just one way of telling the people that my friend, if you don't move the way I'm supposed to, we are supposed to move as a government. It means you are not in the government. You are supposed to be in the opposition. Now, we will monatongue us tonight. Please feel free to speak out. I agree with what he's saying, indeed, that you, of course, because the government and the opposition, and they're not supposed to be the same. They're not supposed to be the same at all. However, as a member of parliament or as a delegator, if I'm going to make a vote, should I not be doing it on behalf of the people who voted me in versus Muku Boangu? Am I a conflict? As a conflict, it should be exactly speaking on behalf of the people who voted the leaders in, because they are the voice, not the echo. They represent the voice of the common monarchy when they selected them. Despite of different opinions that were there among the leaders and the indifference among them about the bill, also internalizing which is difficult on the double of the tax for the one-inches to adapt to it, they could have considered and initiated a protocol of a timeline of allowance to make the common on the inches to feel comfortable with it and to adapt. Because either way, a country will only flourish depending on the tax you should pay. That is true. Sorry for interrupting, but isn't the tax supposed to work for us? For example, if you go to the Americas, the United States of America has a system where if you're unemployed, you get unemployed benefits. You go for a check after every month, simply because the system that they have designed, their tax is working for them. There is social security. You see the problem with our country, you cannot move from that world country to a first or second world country with miracles. In a day. So even if you tax everything, even if you tax the water people drinking, you're not going to make Kenya a Singapore or Kenya the France. You see, so these taxes, you see, also when you make taxes, you need to consider the current economic strength. We just from the COVID pandemic. Thank you for bringing that up. Which affected everything. You see, we have not healed yet. Now you're also coming up with the VAT and the taxes on imposing on the people. You see, these people, some majority of them lost job during the COVID pandemic. Now, even some have never been resettled back to their working. Majority of the people of the Kenyans now are jobless. You see, and then now you're bringing also the tax. Then when you increase it like the fuel and levy, the VAT on the tax from 8 to 16, you know, petrol and diesel and everything, they want that control everything. When you increase the VAT on petrol, be sure that the fare of the matatus will hike. And the food prices now? The food prices, because there needs to be some transport from the farming, from the farms to the market. They are using these vehicles. So the fuel is high. Also the transportation rate will be high. How do you expect these people now to get food at a lower level when the fuel is high? Even the people who are in this transportation sector are also suffering and they have no other option to do. But to increase and hike the fares and those charges for them. So we cannot tax everything. And we cannot live in a taxing country. It is so painful for the citizens. And then maybe when I recall back sometimes back in the campaign model last year, our president told us, he will do away, he will reduce the fuel. Now, is he reducing it or is doing it the opposite side? For as much I can say maybe, majority of the things he said last during his campaign time, I think whatever he said those days, he's doing the opposite one. You see, in fact he used to say he will reduce, he's not going to make a position for the riches. He's going to work for the mambogas and border border. Now, there's no border border anywhere. The border borders, they once were suffering. Because when you hike, you put more taxes. Who are the most majority suffering? The mambogas, the border borders. The local one inch. Not this bazoo work with the VA, the fuel guzzlers. I think as a country, we are not heading in there. As much we want to raise our own tax, we are not heading in the good direction. Because it is painful. You see, it's only you who knows where you are shooting. So it's only they who know. For them, they are even leaving because they want to tax us so that they can move around the country. Also giving us false promises, each day and night. Please do. When the bill was being discussed before watching, fuel has been the major topic. The increase of fuel. Because it's like the neutrality of everything that runs in the country. The way it has been increased double from 8% to 16%, it will make it hard for access and transportation of commodities. There will be a hiked fare prices, which have already begun. Did other leaders in there look into consideration of the oil which was identified in Turkana and they have a solution or come up together also to make the government understand and also put it into consideration after internalizing the opinions of going back to Turkana, identifying more about the oil which was discovered there. That's very smart. First I want to tell my sister here, talo oil in Turkana is not working. You see, the people are given their contract left to the country. So as it is now, Yes. The investors had to go. Their contract came to an end. You see, this thing was signed during the Kibaki era. So the contract came to an end and they had to leave. So currently there is no one who has been given that contract again for the talo oil in Turkana. You see, and then also in Kenya, the talo oil can only be successful if we deal with the cartels in this field. You see, corruption is the one that is killed. Even if you bring investors for the talo oil, we used to get the oil from Turkana all the way to... They were making a tunnel all the way to Mombasa. Why are they taking it to Mombasa? If that oil can be defined in Turkana and be supplied to the Kenyans, it is being taken to Mombasa so that the cartels get out with the biggest lot of it, they export it to other countries, then they leave us with the regents one. So I think all need to work with the cartels. As much as you are trying to say that this country needs to move forward, it cannot move forward because the cartels have hijacked every system. That's why even the cartels will decide who is supposed to be given that talo oil contract. So as a country, what I can only say... You see, these ones are an aspiring politician. Hold it. What do you think first on that point before we continue? What if it will be put into consideration by creating a platform? A platform of applications for people who are going to be in charge in Turkana in conducting the further process of how oil can be extracted, transported, maybe taking in also labour management, they will put a platform... They can put a platform where applicants to be in charge of the oil management in Turkana identification process. They will put a motivation in that people with the logic and problem-solving of the solution to retain the oil that will be extracted from there. The people in charge will be in a position to be answerable and held accountable of the progress that is to be conducted for a success. I really like that you brought up that word accountability. Let's shift a little bit, still on the same topic. We have E.P.R.A. Small, small back story. Finance bill was signed, I think, on the 26th of the 28th by the President. So that was supposed to be effective from the 1st of July. We are now on the 3rd day of July. And it was halted only by the High Court because they need to hear the case first. So now E.P.R.A. has decided the Energy Regulatory Commission of Kenya has decided they will still hike the fuel prices. What do you think is going on there? Okay, on my side, I think our President said judiciary is an independent institution. And when they issue something like those orders barring them to allow the finance bill to be implemented, they were supposed to... E.P.R.A. was supposed to adhere to it because E.P.R.A. is a parastartal and that's government. So if then they continue to hike the fuel prices against the court order, against the court order, they have breached the rule of law. Because it means also maybe the other taxes are also being implemented by the same government. Because maybe the government is the one that was supposed to advise the E.P.R.A. please, because this order that has been issued by the court after the senator Fobuseo Kiyomtata went to court, please hold on until the 5th of July when the case will be heard and determined. So for them going ahead and implementing the 16% VAT hike on the fuel, then they breached the... Do you think they're preempting? Do you think they already know something we don't? That perhaps you're complaining... Of course, there is no way the finance bill will be stopped. If you were very keen on like yesterday and today in the newspaper, there's a place where that the Okiomtata, the senator for Obusea, had acquired some paper from the speaker for the Senate. So now those papers have been with the draw. So it means his case doesn't have any heavy weight. So probably the finance bill will continue to be implemented after 5th. So because the only document he was depending on was that letter from the speaker of the Senate. Now that letter has been with the drawn. So meaning the case doesn't have enough evidence or maybe what I can say because I'm not a lawyer, evidence to support what is pushing fighting back in the court. So probably it will just be implemented. I don't know what's heavier. The court hearing on Wednesday or Monday, Monday, Friday. It's a very heavy week. Wow. What do you think? I think the court has the power to write for an injunction to the IPRA to pull back the increase of fuel price. At best, if they don't adhere to it the court has the power to summon them and keep them on hold. And the court also has the power to publish or write a notice to the citizens and the fuel operations to put it on hold. So here we can't put a blame game to the court either because it has the power. And we can't put a doubt also to IPRA that there's something we know that we don't know. Because also as citizens we can't insinuate what we don't know that IPRA knows that we don't know and they have gone ahead with it. So I think accountability lies on the court because it has the power. And in addition to that just even maybe today I'm very much sure being fired in the court against IPRA because because the IPRA acted against the court orders so they breached the court orders. So I'm very much sure today the senator Fobusi or any another person will present a case today this morning in the court of law or in the high court about issuing orders about the IPRA. Yes, so we are going to have a fight between the government and the people and the courts. This show is called Abitin Birewik. Wow, Abitin Birewik. Yes, and then after that we're also going to Mandamano. So this week is a very hard week for Kenyans and that we are still fighting for hard economic times. Another thing I've seen on today's newspaper the people daily I have two confidence I don't have the paper with me right now but I think there's an activist whether something is happening and that is taking the president's decision to hire technically the constitution gives him the right to have 23 cabinet secretaries. For some reason he added 27 more. Total 50. So when he was defending himself he said he needs more hands and minds to run this particular government. Let me tell you one thing. He's just been waiting for me to ask. Let me tell you one thing. First of all the president he went against the law. He went against the law in terms of now rewarding his loyalists and the rejects for the 20-22 elections. I can call them so. Because when you see we don't need that. We don't need 50 CAs administrative secretaries. We have already a chief accountant of a ministry who is the PS. We have a cabinet secretary. Why do we need two cabinet administrative secretaries for a ministry or three? Why could he just maybe take because these CAs are not going to be accountants for the ministry. They are only going to be there like PAs for the CAs. If CAs tells him I want you to go and present me in that function he or she will go. They are not going to what they are going just to do they are going to waste taxes and that's why you are saying the taxes are being high so that they can finance their salaries. Yet in this economic times I don't know who advises the president. Because these 50 CAs each and every one of them can't tell if they are not going to be paid below maybe 800,000. They are going to be given security personnel. With benefits. They are going to be given PAs being paid by the one inch the taxes one inch a pace. Transportation of course. You see, they are vehicle the fuel gazelars two or three years by the government. So why do we need all these people? No. They can even reduce the number. We have 22 cabinet secretaries. You can even give each ministry one CAs just to move around the ministry. You see, the minister of interior has two PAs. He can get one who should coordinate the two. You see, assist the two. In case he is being sent by the interior to represent him somewhere or the PAs for immigration. You see, so these 50 CAs just are backlocked to the Kenyans. And that's why each of the taxes, they have to raise the taxes so that they can finance those and pay them there their salaries and everything. So I just hope the court determination today we will overrule it. And I know even if it overrules it the president will go ahead and implement it. So I don't know now. I beg to interrupt. As you interrupt, I also want you to bear in mind that we've seen offices of the spouse of the prime cabinet secretary coming up from nowhere and definitely has a budget also. So just tie it all up and give me your thoughts. Maybe looking only on our positive side I like how positive you are. It hasn't begun to be seen on the improvements. For instance the president also had mentioned that there will be an increase of salaries for the civil servants. The same time that two months civil servants have been paid past Issa Sidri but continue. I never know but he had mentioned of increasing the civil servant salaries which include from the highest category also considering the doctors, nurses and teachers and him mentioning that he's increased the number of P.A.S. or C.S.S. he had mentioned maybe needs more hands of accessibility with the help of outsourcing resources timely and also ensuring there will be minimum of unnecessary maybe strikes like for the teachers doctors that have been previously maybe he wants to curb it and has begun the initiative of adding more P.A.S. or C.A.S. but he may later on come into explanation through the fruitfulness of the minimal strikes that previously have been there we can wait and see what he has to do the decision was already the bill was voted it is in court so we wait to see how it goes the things of his excellency have been taken to court a lot more times it's not even been a year to answer elections C.S.S. finance bill what else is going to go on the court has been busy because everything that is trying to bring it up be careful everything that is being tried to brought up by the Kenyakwansa government which I really supported during the last election is against the monarchy Kenyans you only need if you just lower the fuel levies and reduce the prices of food commodities and everything Kenyans are very hardworking people they are not complaining but now you see a packet of Unga is going now for almost 250 they told us it will be maybe 170 so even they could just reduce it and maybe come up to around 120-130 the way it used to be but now it is 250 a youth go to Amjango a Kijana like me go to Amjango he is paid maybe 500 or 600 in that 600 he gets 100 to use maybe for breakfast they are at Amjango and 50 for Giveri but in Mandondo for lunch soup you have put it very well so he is remaining with 500 this 500 maybe he comes from from Kibra and is working here at Tengara maybe he has to move to foot up to town then he pick a Matatu to Kibra that may be say 50 Bob his remaining is for 50 a packet of Unga that is to 50 he remains with 200 that 200 maybe he needs to get sugar from it or maybe paraffin so what is he remaining with it means he has to borrow another and maybe to get maybe fair to kids to go to school maybe to do something else so I think we just need to be fair with the citizens of this country and then maybe another issue because the 23 CAs if I tell you to analyse for me you tell me someone who is below that 5 years maybe he is 1 or 2 the CAs the prison wanted to reward and to be loyal to the youth who voted unanimously for him during the last election he could have preserved the CAs slots for the youth so that he meant to them that the leadership role now to be in the CAs but now when you get also you find that the youth are not well present in that CAs we start making us as youth to question and start thinking otherwise because because it means with the youth you are not trusted in those government positions and we have the capability I am just going to catch off over there and then finish with this tail end of the week Sabah Sabah is when I was trying to explain it without the facts I have always known it as a political day something that we celebrate politics one way or another that the last couple of years I remember Mathakaroa being the front line of that but technically started in 1990 and the country wide protest were for NATO just disappeared wait fair elections yes so we were allowed to vote and ETC that is where it started from but you know every year Sabah Sabah that is the 7th day of the 7th month is something that has always been marked for something political whatever sensational thing is happening politics at that time that is when it really gets out there into the public or that is when the people are called out into action I want to quote and quote that because now the opposition leader during I don't know if it is during the yes during the weekend he also called into action the people I don't know just if they are not feeling the vibe for the financial bill because that is now the key thing that they are discussing or they are trying to fight if not fight find a different word but that is just what is happening yeah we don't want this they don't want this to go through for whatever reason or the other one being what on a finger but he camping in I don't know but it will have a wonderful ripple effect so how long do we wait first of all it's a question and what do you think is going to happen on that day because it is in a trade these Monday previous Monday and Thursday Monday Monday's have seen I want to say scuffle not really full scale violence but also not just peaceful demonstrations so scuffle do you think we are going to expect the same on Friday most probably when you call for a public address or with the citizens Husk Indians even I think even I think Honora Boraila will reach out to the president William Ruto or vice versa that's the agency William Ruto reach out to Baba for a sit down talk discuss about the bill and the finance reason together in the do's and the don'ts seek each other's opinions and also put a table for mutual agreement because if Baba calls for a meeting with the citizens about the discussion of the bill there will be looting there will be a necessary tear gas maybe if Baba calls for a meeting there will be tear gas and roughness among the youths to be specific are we always going to be used as instruments of violence are we always going to be just in front of each other is that really all we translate towards you it's not the wish of the youth to go for those things you see now let me tell you one thing let me tell you one thing as we conclude in fact there is nothing for me I am against it the reason for Saba Saba even you see we just need to be at least much at least with each other I remember some time back the former prime minister was in government just like one year ago he didn't tell us to go and riot or maybe demonstrate because the food prices were hiking and everything those times he was in government he was so much comfortable so right now we cannot solve what we are currently going in as a country we only need technocrats these leaders coming together sit together, agree and make something things move because when you go to Mandamano the business will not open it will be disrupted totally people will be rioting because let me tell you one thing in Kenya demonstration can never be peaceful even this one people are going to table a bill or what in a parliament I don't know how it is called the activists are moving to the parliament you just hear from nowhere there are tear gas Kinerikiomondi you have seen those Kinerikiomondi all the time they are trying to assess the parliament tear gas some of them are arrested and these people are arrested at the youth the people who want to eat your tear gas they are going to the government they are going to the parliament you see they are going to mess they are going to the metallurgy some end up closing their businesses because how Mariah does when you are going to demonstrate peacefully the people who are going to the parliament because after all the people who are going to Mandamano he is going home he is going to the house he will just sit and talk and you will have nothing to do and those leaders will do nothing and at the end of the day you will have solved nothing just violence so let's just find a best way to handle these things whether each is thumping from the government and from the opposition when I say Mandamano it will not help let those people come together agree not to stimulate everything ok thank you I really really have to conclude this although it's been such a riveting conversation I do quite look forward to these talks I really do please do tell us what you think on twitter hashtag of the days or why in the morning because your thought counts see in Shinieru and fun fact his excellency the deputy president I think the first couple of hours after the first ever Mandamano billions and shillings can we afford to do that again don't go away