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{
    "id": 1116866,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1116866/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 238,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mvita, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Abdullswamad Nassir",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2433,
        "legal_name": "Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir",
        "slug": "abdulswamad-sheriff-nassir"
    },
    "content": "was brought by the Minority Whip, Hon. Junet. I seconded that amendment that we should not have VAT on fuel. I remember the current Chair of the Departmental Committee on Finance…. These are matters that can be substantiated in the Hansard records. I do not need to mention names, but those who pushed for fuel prices to go higher in this country know themselves. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I have concern on two issues. First, I have a problem with the Petroleum Development Levy Fund, because of regulations that the whole House did not go through. Those prices were scaled up from Kshs40 cents to Kshs5.40. I agree with the recommendations that any such levies need to come to the Floor of this House, so that they can be debated and not just passed onto consumers without passing through the Floor of this House. Equally, you will notice that there is one particular levy that is here: The Railway Development Levy Fund. I want to assure you that this is a danger that will come to the same Floor of this House. Through an omnibus Bill, the miscellaneous amendments, certain Members here approved and we faulted it saying that the Railway Development Levy Fund can be used for purposes of operations of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), but not for paying debt. That is exactly what is happening. The Petroleum Development Levy Fund was set aside so that it can cushion Kenyans. Now, the truth has come out! The amount of money that was used to cushion Kenyans was less than Kshs2 billion. Every other money which was collected was in the region of Kshs30 billion, but it was used for purposes of development. I am worried and hoping that the Special Funds Account Committee can start looking into the Railway Development Levy Fund to confirm. I will bring a separate statement on that as well. We need a confirmation of how much money will pay the debts because we thought we were paying taxes for purpose of cushioning ourselves in times of need. I can see that the light is not in my favour and there is much interest here. I want to congratulate my colleague, Hon. Gladys Wanga; you have truly made Kenyans proud. We are now waiting for the Bill. We are looking forward to the amendments for those who were saying that they want to have such amendments on those Bills. I want to congratulate you as well on the issue of LPG. It is high time we controlled the state of our environment as well by reducing taxes on reusable energy. Thank you very much."
}