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{
    "id": 601943,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/601943/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 191,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. F.K. Wanyonyi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2065,
        "legal_name": "Ferdinard Kevin Wanyonyi",
        "slug": "ferdinard-kevin-wanyonyi"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, taxes collected at the county level cannot assist us get enough revenue. When we were devolving functions, we expected the counties to collect enough taxes. The counties do not even have a formula for collecting taxes. Counties rely on the national Government to send them money. That money goes into Recurrent Expenditure. They do not have a formula for collecting taxes. Of the 47 counties, 50 per cent have not collected a cent. Even where they collect tax, they collect a small figure compared to the actual amount that should be collected. I visited places where the guys who collect taxes talk in a friendly way to the boda boda guys. At the end of the day, where does that money go? They collect the taxes on Sunday and do not even have receipts. Our county governments should collect taxes in a friendly way. It is the best way of doing it. The Bill also talks about agents. The CG licenses agents to collect taxes. There are agents who can prepare returns for you if you do not have time to do so. Two, if you find that it is a bit complex, an agent will do it for you. Three, if you find that, maybe, you are not able to compile your tax returns. The CG, unfortunately, says that when he is dismissing an agent because he has not complied with the procedures, the agent is given a notice of 30 days. Our country is under siege from the corrupt. Thirty days are too many. They can do a lot of damage. At the Third Reading, we should reduce the time for an agent, who is to be dismissed, or whose license is to be revoked to less than a fortnight, so that they do not have time to steal and do damage than may not be detected. Thirdly, on Part IV, the record keeping, most people--- If you approach the small businesses around here, the kind of records they keep are not satisfactory. So, it is upon the KRA, and this should come out very clearly, to ensure that record keeping is up to date. They are just saying what should be said. They cannot see anything different. They are not thinking outside the box. Again, this is a Bill that should, in a friendly way, expect that record keeping in some of the small dukawallas is proper. When you visit them, a businessman asks you whether you want a receipt that shows tax or not. By the way, that happens. They talk in Kiswahili and ask: Unataka kulipa ushuru au hapana? If you say you want to, he will give you a different receipt. This is something to do with record keeping."
}