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{
    "id": 1590479,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1590479/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 409,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kitui Central, WDM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Makali Mulu",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Temporary Speaker, I would have liked to say very good things about the Bill under the title of preliminaries. But with the time you have given me now, you will excuse me. I salute the Majority Bench, led by Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah, Hon. Baya and Hon. Waqo. Hon. Temporary Speaker, when I look at you, I see leadership. Look at what is happening on our side. We have empty seats. I do not think this is what we want to do. We have said we have no minority leadership and you keep on telling us we have a minority leadership. Such an important Bill is not being debated by this side, led by the leadership, it is a shame to this House. You had 15 minutes to debate, Hon. Kimani. Our leader would have taken 15 minutes. I have five minutes, but I will do justice to this Bill. The issue of tax zero rating versus tax exemption is a very critical issue. Even though the Chairman of the Committee has tried to get some things back to zero rating, in his own words, he did say we have fictitious claims. My own research has shown tax refunds are about Ksh400 billion. Out of that, almost 50 per cent are fictitious claims. How I wish we could come up with a methodology to ensure we do not provide these manufacturers an opportunity to hire smart accountants to make more money other than doing the actual job. Secondly, I appreciate the issue of personal data and trade secrets. The Committee has done justice to ensure that does not appear in our laws. It is already adequately covered by the Constitution. The other issue is that of aircraft taxation. If I remember well, this is the third time that The National Treasury has proposed that we impose some tax on aircraft spare parts. The argument has always been that if we do that, it will increase operational expenses and result in higher ticket prices. How come, every year, we get this proposal in the Finance Bill? Could it be that some people are enjoying a monopoly and as a result, The National Treasury wants to sort out that issue, yet we keep on blocking them? How I wish the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning would take time and sit with The National Treasury and find out why, year in year out, we get this proposal coming into the Finance Bill. It is unfortunate that someone with a PhD in Economics is given three minutes while a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA- K) is given 10 to 15 minutes. But let us continue."
}