Despite Ruto, Mbadi promises,No tax relief for workers earning below Ksh.30K

Workers taking home less than Ksh 30,000 monthly had hoped for an exemption from Pay As You Earn deductions, a pledge that had raised expectations among more than one million people across various sectors. When Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi delivered his budget speech in Parliament, the much-discussed proposal was notably absent, leaving many feeling let down by the delay.

This relief was first floated by Mbadi back in February and later strongly endorsed by President William Ruto in several public addresses. The President had even highlighted the move as a key step to ease the burden on struggling households, acknowledging potential costs around Ksh 40 billion but insisting it should proceed. Despite these high-level commitments, the current budget document makes no provision for the change, prompting questions about the government’s timing and priorities for ordinary citizens trying to make ends meet.

Following the presentation, Mbadi sought to calm concerns by reaffirming that the promise remains alive. He explained that ongoing data reviews were part of the reason for the hold-up and urged patience, stressing that the administration stands by its word to support lower-income earners. The Treasury chief emphasized that the initiative has not been abandoned, even as he stopped short of giving a firm rollout date within the new financial year.

For many families across the country, this latest development adds to the everyday challenges of rising living costs. While the government maintains its commitment to eventual implementation, the absence of immediate action in the budget has sparked fresh debate about delivering on pledges meant to improve livelihoods. As the new fiscal year approaches, eyes will remain on how and when authorities follow through on easing the tax load for the nation’s hardest-working but lowest-paid employees.