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{
    "id": 421321,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/421321/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 297,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Wakhungu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1889,
        "legal_name": "Chrisantus Wamalwa Wakhungu",
        "slug": "chrisantus-wamalwa-wakhungu"
    },
    "content": "that we understand the difference between tax exemption and zero-rated tax. Most of these basic goods, we can say are zero-rated. In my understanding, when we talk of a product being zero-rated, it means that the inputs attract taxation. So, you put it as an expense. So, we are calling for tax exemption. To mention Section 33 which talks about fraudulent tax, the Jubilee Government mentioned this and said that many people have been making some fraudulent claims at KRA, which is true. We do not want them to continue doing that. In fact, some of the sanctions or the penalties that have been given to people is paying just five times what they are supposed to pay, I suggest we should not even give a jail term. Those are the people who are making VAT Bill to go through. We do not want people to reap where they never sowed. As a matter of fact, even the Bible says that a man eateth where he worketh. So, if you have not worked and you want to eat, we should put tough penalties to discourage such people from making those fraudulent claims at KRA. As we go to Third Reading, we are going to bring further amendments to Section 33 of this Act, so that the penalties are tougher to discourage the people who have been colluding with officials of KRA to get tax claims. They want to reap where they never sowed. Another important issue is about exercise books. What the Jubilee Government is doing, following what the former President His Excellency Mwai Kibaki did on the issue of free primary education, is a wonderful idea. But the moment you put taxation on exercise books, we must look at this issue. It is going to make education very expensive. It will also contribute to schools charging high fees. Therefore, it is high time my colleagues from the other side, as we go to Third Reading, should note that we need to exempt exercise books from taxation. Exercise books go to the poor mwananchi in the village. There is no way we can accept exercise books to be zero-rated. Instead, they should be in the bracket of tax exemption. Another issue that I want to mention is about farm inputs. We have a variety of farm inputs. I want to thank hon. Langat. Of course, fertilizer is tax exempt and we know very well that we want to make this country a production base as opposed to consumption base. About two weeks ago, when I was in my constituency, the issue of the social assistance where old people are getting Kshs2,000 came up."
}