Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1043638,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1043638/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 270,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Nambale, ANAC",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Sakwa Bunyasi",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. The amendment is really a double-edged sword. Tax is an essential evil. We need to pay tax to run Government. By paying tax, we deny household income from doing other things. As we discuss moving VAT back to 16 per cent and other taxes to a maximum of 30 per cent, let us first ask ourselves: In whose hands are Kenyans better off with this money? Is it in household hands or in the hands of the Government? When we reduced VAT from 16 per cent to 14 per cent, we were recognising that, in times of a pandemic, the use of funds is better in the hands of households than it would be in the hands of the Government. We have got into a little corner where the Government does not have enough revenue, largely because of misuse. And we are not addressing that problem conclusively! We get headlines and then the stories disappear. Our priority at this moment would be to ask the Government, through the Committee, to demonstrate that there is a good and optimal resource use with the VAT it is collecting now at 14 per cent. In trying to grow, many economies do lower taxes. They do not increase them. Do not assume that collection is going to be better when you increase the rate from 14 per cent to 16 per The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}