President William Ruto left the crowd in stitches after he seemed to embrace his nickname while filing his returns at the Kenya Revenue Authority headquarters in Nairobi.
While having a session with Kenya Revenue Authority officials, he acknowledged the name “Zakayo” which has been making rounds on social media in reference to the head of state.
“Since I have already been referred to as Zakayo in some areas, maybe we will have a tax collector day. That’s a good proposal,” Ruto said.
He was responding to the suggestion by a staff who requested the President to host a tax collection day at the State House.
“We usually have the taxpayers’ day in October. My suggestion is that we also have a tax collectors’ day. Probably at State House?” the staff posed.
The name Zakayo surfaced in the wake of new tax proposals made by the Ruto-led administration.
They likened Ruto to Zacchaeus, who climbed the sycamore tree to see Jesus, according to the Bible.
In the Bible, specifically New Testament, Zacchaeus was a tax collector in the city of Jericho.
He was hated by the Jews because they felt he was keeping their money for himself.
And in the midst of the new tax proposals, Ruto was branded this name which has been used by Azimio leaders.
On Monday, while at the Jubilee NDC meeting at Ngong Racecourse, Narc Kenya Leader Martha Karua referred to Ruto as Zakayo
“If they target Baba (Raila Odinga), they should be ready to terminate us all. We will not relent until Zakayo climbs down and the price of unga is lowered,” she said.
