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{
    "id": 1441319,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1441319/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 65,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kajiado South, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Parashina Sakimba",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, it is an estimation. I was talking about the Finance Bill, 2023. It was supposed to take care of the deficit of the Budget. You can check. We have a deficit from that record of Ksh224 billion. It was not raised due to the introduction of the Finance Bill, 2023. This was clearly illustrated yesterday. I want to appreciate the amendments that have been proposed by the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning. However, I am concerned by the fact that the changes were made after pressure from the public and Generation Zoomers (Gen Z). Why wait until last minute? The Laffer curve economic theory proposed in 1974 by Arthur Laffer, states that when the tax rate is high, as compared to collection, the revenue target is always not achievable. I urge those who are looking at taxation as the only main source of revenue collection that they are getting it wrong. Who are they taxing now? The mama mboga, boda people and Kenyans in general are still complaining about the Finance Bill, 2023. Once you introduce this Finance Bill, 2024, the question is: Who is the target? That money is not there. Collecting the tax is not easy. Our colleagues are only trying to bring the issue of taxation as the only source of revenue. How about mining? Why do we not think outside the box and explore mining? Why do we have a Cabinet Secretary in charge of mining? In countries like Angola, South Africa and Tanzania, monies from mining plays a bigger part in raising funds. We cannot be captive of International Monetary Fund (IMF). The only thing they want us to do is raise money through taxation. They are taxing Kenyans day and night. No one is talking about Tullow Oil in Turkana. Why do we not go back and think of other ways of raising revenue apart from taxation? We cannot be a lazy country that does not think about other means of raising revenue. On Clause 45, they are proposing an Eco Levy. We agree that they want to protect the environment and reduce pollution, but this Eco Levy is proposed to be imposed on imported goods. This will affect the sanitary towels. I do not know if they want our girls to use napkins or they want us to go back to COVID-19 time, where people were using lesos and vitambas as masks. If you go to the shops and chemists, you will find good quality sanitary towels that are imported."
}