Moses Kuria, Cabinet Secretary for Trade and Investment, said he now regretted granting comedian Eric Omondi a fully funded trip to the United States.
CS Kuria made the statements during a Citizen TV interview on Wednesday evening, June 7, during a debate on the Finance Bill 2023 comprising leaders, professionals, and regular residents.
Eric criticized the government’s intention to establish a 3% housing charge, claiming that Kenyans needed food more than homes.
He chastised the Kenya Kwanza administration for pledging to reduce the cost of living but failing to do so months after taking office.
He pushed government officials to focus on lowering the cost of living rather than adding additional taxes and deductions to the meager wages Kenyans get.
“We are having the wrong conversation; we are talking about housing. The discussion should be about the high cost of living.” Eric stated.
He said that the trip was designed to open the comedian’s eyes and expose him to the world, but that it did not work because he was opposed to the plans in the Finance Bill 2023.
Unlike Eric Omondi, Kuria claims that traveling to various regions of the world has given him a far broader view.
“Here in Belarus where I am, has a population of 9 million people and export food worth $8 million (Sh1.1 trillion). In Kenya we import food worth $4 billion (Sh556 billion). A country with 9 million people can feed other countries because they took bold steps,“ he said.
Adding:
“Nimeskia Eric Omondi ambaye amesema yeye ni kijana na miaka saba iliyopita nilichukua pesa yangu nikampeleka America ndio aone vile dunia iko na saa hii vile anaongea afadhali ningetumia hiyo pesa kwa sherehe sababu sioni kama kuna kitu alisoma” Kuria spoke.
Moses Kuria: …miaka saba iliyopita nilichukua pesa yangu nikampeleka (Eric Omondi) Amerika ndio aone dunia vile iko na sahii vile anaongea afadhali ningetumia hiyo pesa kwa sherehe #TheBigConversation pic.twitter.com/jkS3Qlf1di
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) June 7, 2023
