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{
    "id": 602019,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/602019/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 267,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Chebet",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 550,
        "legal_name": "Susan Kipketer Chebet",
        "slug": "susan-kipketer-chebet"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this amendment on the Tax Procedure Bill. At the outset, I want to say that Kenya is running on the tax collected and the revenue that is from the various sectors of the economy. That is why we put in place various measures to ensure that every person in Kenya who has registered as a taxpayer should pay taxes. We need to demystify the tax collection procedures because, sometimes, they look very punitive thus members of the business community try to evade paying taxes. That should be demystified through awareness and education of the business community in order for them to know that they have a responsibility of paying tax to enable the government meet its threshold of development. We know the sectors which are capable of paying taxes. Those are the ones we should take care of so that we ensure they pay their taxes. In absence of paying taxes, we run into problems of getting a sluggish economy. Once we train our people to understand the importance of paying taxes, then things will be easy. The Hon. Member has alluded that when we buy goods, especially from the businessmen that sell them in bulk, you can easily be lured to go without a receipt when they suspect that you do not know about tax payment. The supermarkets are the only people who pay their taxes and issue receipts without asking whether one needs it or not. In a supermarket, you get your receipt as you collect your goods. We need to sensitise our people to get the correct receipt so that those people can pay taxes. The small business people have problems in filing their taxes because they do not keep records. They have not been trained on how to keep records and hence, they do not know the importance of record-keeping. They can use those records to file their taxes. So, we need to invest in awareness campaigns and training of our small businessmen so that they can pay taxes. We have people who are learning to evade taxes. There are people who file tax for other people. They can easily evade tax by releasing untrue information. Those are the loopholes we need to seal so that we do not lose money through dubious means. We should also take care so that the agents of collecting taxes like the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) personnel do not get involved in corruption so that taxes are filed and money is collected in full. If we do that, I know we will raise income and we will construct our roads, hospitals and schools. We will also have our salaries in time. We have a sluggish economy in Kenya because tax collection is not done correctly. Lastly, once this Bill becomes law, procedures will be conducted smoothly and our taxpayers can pay their money without pain. Sometimes, when the taxman comes around, people really feel bad about it because they feel like they are being harassed. However, they need to be trained so that they can file their taxes with ease. I support the Bill. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker."
}