President William Ruto has come out guns blazing to tell off opposition leader Raila Odinga for criticising the government over increasing taxes.

The President, speaking on Saturday during the burial of Field Marshal Mukami Kimathi in Nyandarua County where the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party leader was also present, boasted of his know-how in regard to turning the ailing economy around.

President Ruto, in a seemingly mocking tone, lectured Mr. Odinga on the state of the economy, reiterating that his administration is focusing on subsidizing production and not consumption as compared to his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.

The Azimio chief, who spoke earlier, had lashed at the Head of State over the high cost of living and increased taxes saying the move was burdening to the already overtaxed Kenyans.

President Ruto rubbished Mr. Odinga’s sentiments intimating that his regime had slashed over 20 sections of taxes on products in the country, thereby reducing about Ksh.500 billion, telling the former premier to have his facts laid out right before poking holes in his leadership.

According to the President, the previous administration which he insists Mr. Odinga was part of, is to blame for the current economic crisis, thus the Azimio chief should not complain over the high costs of products but instead should wait for him (Ruto) to better it.

“You (Odinga) have spoken about the cost of living; lakini nikichaguliwa, si unga ilikuwa Ksh.230? Saa hii ata imepata nafuu na unga sasa inafika Ksh.170. The mistake you did is mlienda kupatia pesa millers. Huyo miller anatoa wapi unga yake? Si unga iko na wakulima? I have gone to farmers…it is how to reduce the cost of living,” he said.

“You don’t reduce the cost of living by working with millers on subsidy programs; you subsidise production, you don’t subsidise consumption. That is where the country went wrong. I agree with you on the cost of living but you are the one who destroyed it, wacha mimi nirekebishe.”

He added: “If you look at the budget, I have reduced over 20 sections of taxes, almost Ksh.500 billion of debts in the current budget, in order to reduce the burden on Kenyans. Pale kwa historia unaweza kunishinda, lakini hapo kwa uchumi, hapana…mimi naelewa kabisa.”

While citing the era of the late former president Mwai Kibaki when the economy was thriving, the Head of State identified himself to belong to Kibaki’s school of thought, noting that he (Ruto) held the key to bettering the economy and surpassing the achievements of Kibaki and Kenyatta by increasing revenue collections to Ksh.2.8 billion by the end of this year.

“I am a very close student of Mwai Kibaki. When he took over the presidency, the budget was about Ksh.220 billion…lakini kwa mpango na akili, akaisukuma baada ya miaka kumi hadi trillion moja. Uhuru akaisukuma mpaka Ksh.2 trillion lakini akaongeza madeni mingi. I want to push the economy to about Ksh.2.8 trillion this year,” he stated.

“What Kibaki did is that he knew the country you cannot develop a country by accumulating more debts, you develop it by increasing the tax bracket. So allow me time because I know what to do.”