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{
    "id": 466764,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/466764/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 361,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ng’ongo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 110,
        "legal_name": "John Mbadi Ng'ong'o",
        "slug": "john-mbadi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. Before I go to the Bill, let me say that hon. Tanui is a good friend of mine. He is such a nice legislator that even if he says something that does not please you, at times you feel like you need to forgive him but he should have known that imputing improper motive on another hon. Member is out of order. I do not incite members of the public. I cannot remember when I have ever incited members of the public. He knows very well that what I opposed then was his attempt to exempt industrial sugar from taxation, which I still believe we should not exempt from taxation. Having said so, let me get back to the Bill. I will sort out the rest of the matter with my friend when we get out there. Hon. Members will remember that when the Budget Estimates were submitted to this House, it was clear that the Government intended to finance a Kshs1.6 trillion Budget. Out of that, there is need to raise revenue to finance it. There was a statement that was read in this House on the revenue raising measures by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance. In that Statement, the Cabinet Secretary highlighted ways and means of raising revenue. The process of actualising that Statement has necessitated the amendments through the Finance Bill. So, the Finance Bill is actually helping the Government to have a legal basis upon which to raise revenue. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, having looked at the Finance Bill of this year, I know that it has strengths and weaknesses. First of all, let me say that the proposal to amend the Income Tax Act to allow exchange of information between Kenya and other countries with regard to things like double-taxation agreements is long overdue. This helps the Government to seal tax evasion loopholes. Also, there are many Kenyans who are engaged in professional activities. A case in point is our athletes. Such Kenyans are taxed in the countries in which they do their business. Again, when they come to Kenya, due to failure by those countries to share information with the Government of Kenya, they are taxed again. That is double-taxation. It is provided in our law that if Kenya has double-taxation treaties with other countries, then whatever Kenyan residents pay in those countries are supposed to be reduced from their tax liabilities. However, the process and method of sharing such information The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}