They have opposed introduction of new taxes, insist they will hurt the poor most KHRC inclusion and political justice manager Annet Nerima. /HANDOUT Civil society groups, lawmakers and fiscal policy experts are pushing Parliament to overhaul the Finance Bill 2026 by targeting rich individuals and high-value assets.
The move, they say, could raise an additional $1 billion (Sh129 billion) while shielding low-income Kenyans from more economic hardship. The proposals, presented during engagements on the Finance Bill and the 2026-27 budget process, seek to expand taxation on luxury assets, capital gains and hidden wealth instead of increasing the burden on salaried workers and consumers already struggling with the high cost of living.
“Wealth taxation is not necessarily about introducing punitive new taxes. It is about ensuring people with the greatest ability to pay contribute their fair share,” said economic policy and fiscal justice advocate of the high court Emily Wakesho. The push comes as Parliament debates proposals that would exempt workers earning below Sh30,000 from certain deductions while also introducing a raft of tax changes affecting businesses, consumers and investors.
However, lobby groups warned that some clauses in the Bill could deepen inequality by granting tax exemptions to wealthy investors while ordinary Kenyans continue to shoulder rising living costs. Among the most contested provisions is a proposal to exempt some real estate investment trust transactions from capital gains tax.
Policy analysts said the exemption risks widening tax loopholes for wealthy investors with large property portfolios.