Stop misinforming people on social media about Finance Bill 2025

When Mark Twain remarked that “a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes”, he probably had moments such as these in his mind. Our governance, both processes and institutions are under serious assault as the citizens are inundated with half-truths and outright lies. The bulk of it is calculated to inflame anger and despondency in a manner that would make the populace unsettled. I say this with reference to the budgeting process. A year ago we almost lost our country when a lack of reading of the socio-economic and political climate, matched with the vigilance of the people birthed the now popular Gen Z protests which shook the foundations both of state and the political class.

The management of our public spending has not been one of the best this side of the tropics. Former Auditor General Edward Ouko once dismissed our budget-making process as budgeted corruption. He said this in reference to how the cost of doing projects would be massively inflated to include kickbacks for the fat cats in the corridors of power and the attendant tender barons. The result of what Mr Ouko was decrying manifests itself in a debt legacy that has in many ways upended our economic vitality and the runaway pending bills.

When angry young people chant their hearts out, it’s a reminder that the attitudes and actions of those holding positions of responsibility should be people-centric to extinguish the anger and frustration of those still without opportunity; those whom our economic structure has condemned to the margins. For all the efforts made to alleviate human suffering, still so many people are anxious as they don’t have a roof over their heads and don’t know where the next meal will come from. This budgeting process, therefore, is a critical tool to assure the people that government still is a force for good.

But in midst of all these, we must guard against online misinformation calculated the people tools for political outrage. If you skim through popular social media sites, there is a lot of talk that we already have the Finance Bill 2025 and that its more punitive than the 2024 one. Some of the popular bloggers have been caught up in that frenzy and are sharing generously on areas that the government is targeting to tax.

We need to understand the budget-making process to put to rest the lies and propaganda by folks who think that ours should be a chaotic society at all times. Once described as an oasis of peace in a troubled region, Kenya should not become the volcano of rage without reason.

The budgeting process starts with programmes’ performance review, which is a structured assessment of programmes’ effectiveness, efficiency and impact. This is then followed by Budget Review and Outlook Paper, which is a comprehensive analysis of the previous year’s budget performance and an outlook for the upcoming year. 

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This is followed by Medium term Expenditure Framework which guides line ministries in preparing their budget proposals. Then comes the public sector hearings which is followed by the Draft Budget Policy statement. Right now, draft budget estimates are being prepared.

Therefore, we still do not have Finance Bill. It’s not on Parliament’s website or even the National Treasury’s website. When its published, it must go through the usual legislative processes. Meanwhile, let us all guard against online manipulators and propagandists.

 Mr Kidi is the convener of Inter Parties Youth Forum. [email protected]