And while commenting on the new taxes, the President said not even being given the nickname of Zakayo to mock him or equate him to the biblical tax collector would dissuade him from aggressively ensuring people pay taxes.
Dr Ruto reminded Kenyans that the country cannot develop without its citizens paying taxes, adding that development does not occur miraculously.
(to be called Zakayo is not an issue, as long as we pay our taxes. Provided that we are building this country, people are getting affordable houses, have universal health coverage and our youths are employed, then Zakayo is just but a name), Dr Ruto said.
On job creation, the President noted that the pace at which jobs are created in the country is lower than the rate at which new workers are entering the job market.
Every year, one million workers enter the job market in Kenya, while only 200,000 are absorbed into formal jobs, both in the private and public sectors. Labour migration is, therefore, a critical component of our socio-economic development, benefiting both Kenya and the countries that welcome our workers.
Minimum wageThe President at the same time ordered relevant government departments to work on delivering a six per cent increment of minimum wage.
I want to ask our Labour CS to call the committee which is concerned and sit down. Let us have a minimum wage increment of at least six per cent, and you will let me know how that will be reached, Dr Ruto said.
Earlier on, Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) boss Francis Atwoli had asked the President for a 22.5 per cent increment on the general wage as it happened in 1972 to cushion workers from harsh economic realities.
The President maintained that the government will continue sending workers abroad, including the youth, as his government continues to call for better working conditions and updating labour laws to protect all workers in the current evolving job market.
He also reiterated that his housing project will continue, and that in Nairobi County alone, the government is planning to build up to 7,000 houses every year. Dr Ruto said that the governments housing project will bring to an end the frequent displacement of families whenever floods hit the nation, and that by the end of five years, one million new home owners will benefit from the project.
Before the end of this year, you will see the houses that I launched last year because majority are ready. If seeing is believing, you will be able to see so that you can believe that we are serous on the housing plan, he said.
The President also asked leaders in various positions in the country to be part of the solution, and not to criticise the government.
He said that going to the streets will not resolve the problems that Kenyans are facing, and that since he took over leadership, prices of commodities have dropped significantly.
Additionally, the Head of State asked leaders to avoid politics of ethnicity whenever they are addressing Kenyans.
I want to ask the citizens of our country, especially those of us who have the privilege to be leaders, to desist from dividing Kenyans along tribal lines. That is retrogressive, that is primitive, and that takes us backwards,the President said.
