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{
    "id": 1441083,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1441083/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 159,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Eldas, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Adan Keynan",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 41,
        "legal_name": "Adan Wehliye Keynan",
        "slug": "adan-keynan"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. This Bill contains an array of tax proposals that affect different tax laws. The intention is to give the Government the legal force to collect taxes to finance the Budget. Ordinarily, this Bill has gone through all the legislative stages that every Bill ought to go through until it has become part of the public debate. All laws affecting taxation are generally emotive, polarising and highly political. The debate on this Bill has taken two dimensions. The first one is political. The political dimension has been convoluted, highly polarised and full of propaganda, misinformation and misinterpretation. This is part of the norm of our Kenyan society. Hon. Speaker, as Members of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning, we were guided by reason and public interest. We were keen on the views of the Kenyan taxpayers who appeared before the Committee. I am proud to admit that we have proposed to amend the Bill. If we did not do so, it would have been difficult to implement and internalise it. As Members of the Committee, we took time to listen to the people. We were guided by the principle of fairness as guided by the principle of public participation. That is why we came up with a raft of amendments that seek to do away with VAT on bread, transportation of sugar, financial services and mobile phone transactions. We also did away with motor vehicle tax and Excise Duty on edible oils, among many other changes. This is a House of tradition and deliberations. This Bill, as read together with the proposed amendments, meets the expectations of Kenyans and will stand the test of time. I urge you, Hon. Members, not to be intimidated. Pass it because it will add value to the taxpayers who elected you. There are shenanigans. There is hullabaloo and propaganda. You have the right to address your concerns. As the elected representatives of Kenyans, we should be proud that this Bill, with the proposed amendments, meets our expectations. Dr Amollo, I do not belong to the list of the Members..."
}