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{
    "id": 602024,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/602024/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 272,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Mbui",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1750,
        "legal_name": "Robert Mbui",
        "slug": "robert-mbui"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker for giving me this opportunity. I stand to support the Tax Procedures Bill 2015. I am just interested in this Bill because the first thing I noted was the objects and purpose of the Bill, which states that we intend to create consistency and efficiency in the administration of tax laws in this country. It also intends to facilitate tax compliance by taxpayers and ensuring effective and efficient collection of taxes. Basically, when you look at the purpose, you see that this is a Bill we require as a nation. Having gone through the Bill, I have noted some areas of interest. One of them is the responsibility given to the Commissioner, who is supposed to control the collection of taxes and account for the taxes collected. With regard to Clause 4, there are people masquerading out there as tax collectors. In fact, this is one of the areas where conmen thrive. Because of the harsh economic times, there are a lot of Kenyan businesses that are unable to pay as much as they are expected. There are many conmen who masquerade as tax collectors. They collect a lot of money that should actually go the Government. This Bill says that, as given by the Commissioner, one must give identification documentations to be presented when they are requested. I only imagine that when the Commissioner comes up with this kind of identification documents, he will ensure that it is something that cannot be easily forged. That way, we can be sure that the people who make calls on our businesses to collect taxes are the right people. Clause 6 talks about confidentiality. I am very happy because it clearly indicates that the information that is given to tax collectors is kept in confidence, except when being shared by those relevant bodies like the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Kenya National Audit Office (KENAO), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KBS) and such organizations. Basically, it means that information from business people will not fall in the wrong hands. That is because if there are no confidentiality, people who give documents for taxes can fall into the hands of their business competitors who need not know such information at that time. I am happy to note that the tax collection officers are being accorded powers and privileges of police officers. This means that they will have the powers to enforce tax collection rules effectively so that our country can collect all the revenue that it requires. Under Clause 11, there is the issue of the Personal Identification Number (PIN) which has always been there. 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."
}