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{
    "id": 1003215,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1003215/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 299,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kathiani, WDM-K",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Robert Mbui",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1750,
        "legal_name": "Robert Mbui",
        "slug": "robert-mbui"
    },
    "content": "Tax, the problem is that we are not giving a limit. It is important that we give a lower limit because there are some people, young people like some of our colleagues have said, who have gone into that industry or business as the only option to have some kind of employment. Some of them write papers on behalf of other people and the payments are also meager. It is important that we have a limit, a certain amount of money after which people can start paying. You cannot pay on everything that you get because then, we are not encouraging those young people to also benefit. There is a Miscellaneous Fees and Levies Act. There is a proposal to exempt the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the National Police Service (NPS) from the Import Declaration Fees and the Railway Development Levy. It does not make sense. On one hand we appropriate funds here and give the KDF and the NPS. Then when they do importation based on the money we have given them, they are paying tax on the same. They are using the same money to pay the same Government. It is the same thing like when we give money for the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF). Then you give this money for projects management committees. Then, you tax them Value Added Tax. It does not make sense because you are just taking money from one pocket and putting it into the other. This is one of the things I think make a lot of sense and need to be supported. I also strongly support the idea of Public Private Partnership (PPP) on the issue of roads. You have seen how people travel in the developed world. You will travel in comfort because, generally, you have to pay toll for some of those roads that are being supported by individuals. So, most of them would use public roads more, but sometimes people have emergencies and need to get to their destinations faster. It helps to expand the transport network. So, I also support that. Because I can see my time has run out, I think I will just finally say that the idea the Committee has proposed on improving Value Added Tax refunds is a very welcome one. When you delay refunding Value Added Tax, it is just the same as having unpaid bills. It is important that we hasten the process so that people can get the Value Added Tax refunds and invest that money to develop the country. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I support."
}