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{
    "id": 1105730,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1105730/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 412,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Buuri, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Mugambi Rindikiri",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13315,
        "legal_name": "Mugambi Murwithania Rindikiri",
        "slug": "mugambi-murwithania-rindikiri-2"
    },
    "content": "the professions, we should be able to have a very well-balanced tribunal that will be ready and easily accessible by the citizens of this country. I agree the KRA has been operating as a monopoly in terms of tax issues. Whenever there is a problem, you will either be thrown into the police cells or taken to court for things which are not even related to failure to pay taxes. For example, I used to pay taxes through my employer when I was employed. There was a time when the KRA’s system went off and I was forced to go back and get documents which were not easily accessible and I needed a tax compliance certificate. I did not know where to go to put my case. I was forced to pay some amount of money, although I knew I had paid. If there was an independent body that I could go to and present my problem, I am sure my matter would have been resolved. This brings to mind that there are so many other Kenyans who would be having a similar problem. We need independent bodies to be checking some of these quasi -government and Government activities. It is true that we have an animal in KRA and we need an alternative dispute resolution mechanism, which I believe will be provided by this tribunal. Kenyans wake up in the morning and find that they are being charged taxes. Yesterday, we spent the whole day talking about the increase in fuel prices. There is a whole list of taxes and levies which accompany VAT and we could not get anywhere to go and do an appeal. If we had an independent tax tribunal, we would have taken the matter to that tribunal. But we do not have. We can only revert back to KRA. This Bill is coming at the right time. I pray that once the amendment is approved, the operations of the tribunal need to be regionalised. We should not have a centralised tribunal that operates only in Nairobi. We need a tribunal that will operate in every part of the country, with the possibility of having an office in every county. So, as the Bill is prepared, we need to establish centres countrywide where people will go and launch complaints. If we let it be at the Head Office, Nairobi, we still have a problem because majority of Kenyans will not afford to travel to Nairobi. Therefore, we must make it accessible at the county level or, at least, the regional level. The Bill has come at the right time. As I support it, I urge the drafters to consider providing for the tribunal to have branches throughout the country. I am aware that, that is an operational issue but at this stage, we also need to incorporate that aspect in the final draft of the Bill. I support the formation of the tax tribunal. It is going to sort out a major problem in arbitration. It is going to ease congestion at the courts because when people are aggrieved, they rush to court. The tribunal will serve as an alternative dispute resolution entity. I believe the tribunal will be more accessible and faster in sorting out issues as compared to the law courts. With those remarks, I support the Bill."
}