Passaris urges Jubilee to address economic growth

Nairobi woman representative contestant Esther Passaris has urged the government to give tax waivers for new companies setting up in the country.

Addressing the media on Saturday at Shauri Moyo Seventh Day Adventist Church in Nairobi, Ms Passaris said that with the tough economic times, the waiver would attract investors.

The Orange Democratic Movement candidate also urged the government to intervene and stop massive job losses.

Several companies have either closed shop or laid off staff, citing high operational costs.

"Let the government look into the continued job losses occasioned by hard economic times," she said.

JUBILEE BIASED

She suggested that the Ministry of Trade should engage investors in finding a permanent solution to the problem.

On a different note, she accused the government of "targeting" counties allied to the Opposition so as to brand them as failures in implementing development projects.

She accused the Kenya Revenue Authority and the Central Bank of Kenya of frustrating Nairobi County over debts incurred before devolution.

"It is important county governments get their funds. The government is targeting counties in Nasa strongholds to portray them as not working or not able to run a government," she said.

DIVISIVE POLITICS

The Central Bank recently transferred money from the county's accounts to the Kenya Revenue Authority’s Domestic Taxes income taxpayer account.

As a result, Governor Evans Kidero said yesterday, the payment of workers' salaries has been delayed.

Governor Kidero told the two entities to refund the money so as to avoid disrupting the lives of workers.

Ms Passaris urged Kenyans to embrace each other by shunning ethnic-based politics particularly now in the run-up to the August elections.