Kenya's having a Boston Tea Party moment right now and it's getting pretty intense.
Rita Auma Obama is former President Barack Obama's half-sister. She is the executive chair of Strong Voices Foundation, a non-profit that helps orphans and impoverished youth.
Apparently, she's also an insurrectionist who is a threat to democracy!
[Warning: Violence]
(Can't wait to see how the US government says it supports these brave citizens making their voices heard at the same time it jails another grandma for waving a flag on J6.)
Kenyans are protesting in the streets of Nairobi over an insane tax bill that would tax bread 16%, among other things. From the BBC:
Amendments to the bill look set to be approved but some of the controversial provisions initially put forward included a plan to introduce a 16% sales tax on bread and 25% duty on cooking oil.
There was also a planned increase in the tax on financial transactions as well as a new annual tax on vehicle ownership amounting to 2.5% of the value of the vehicle.
Me buying a plane ticket to Nairobi after reading about this tax proposal:
The eco levy, described as a charge on products that contribute to e-waste and harm the environment, was another key provision of the bill that the government has now suggested amendments to.
Critics pointed out that it would lead to the increase in the cost of essential items such as sanitary pads, which was seen as insensitive, as there are many girls who, unable to afford these products, often miss school during their periods.
Babies' nappies would also be affected.
The government dropped or modified these ideas after the predicable backlash, but is still moving forward with some of the bill.
The finance bill introduces a 16% tax on goods and services for the direct and exclusive use in the construction and equipping of specialised hospitals with a minimum bed capacity of 50.
...
The bill proposes to increase the rate of import taxes from 2.5% to 3% of the value of the item, to be paid by the importer at the port.
The rise comes just a year after the rate was reduced from 3.5% to 2.5%. The change is expected to generate additional revenue for government but could also lead to higher prices for imported products.
It's wild to see people act normally to the imposition of tax on them.
Over here in America, we're so fat and lazy, I don't think our 40%+ taxed rear ends could be motivated to get off the couch!
Memes like this don't capture the full context, but they do make a point:
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