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{
    "id": 701728,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/701728/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 42,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Njomo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1784,
        "legal_name": "Jude L. Kangethe Njomo",
        "slug": "jude-l-kangethe-njomo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I, the undersigned, on behalf of concerned citizens of the Republic of Kenya, former and current employees of Bidco Africa Limited, who have appended their signatures thereof, draw the attention of the House to the following issues:- THAT, Bidco Africa Limited, commonly referred to as Bidco, is a Kenyan-based and registered company that manufactures edible oil and detergent products; THAT, the company manufactures and distributes the largest and widest range of product categories in East and Central African regions; THAT, the role of the company in the country cannot be overstated in terms of investments and creation of direct and indirect employment; THAT, the company has, however, in recent times engaged in tax and labour irregularities and issues of serious environmental concern that require deliberation and resolution by the National Assembly as contemplated under Article 119 of the Constitution; THAT, in blatant violation of labour and employment laws and basic tenets of human rights in particular, workers are subjected to poor labour conditions at production plants, classification of their 2,500 employees as casual workers, harassment and unfair dismissal of employees who complain about workplace conditions as well as those that are injured at the workplace and request for compensation; THAT, further, in violation of various tax laws including the Income Tax Act Cap.470 and the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act among others, the company was found by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to have evaded taxes in excess of Kshs1.2 billion, an amount that the company has refused to pay; and, THAT, a forensic audit carried out in 2015 revealed that the estimated unpaid duty and VAT for the period from 1992 to 1998 was about Kshs4.3 billion. Therefore, your humble Petitioners pray that the National Assembly, through the Departmental Committee on Labour and Social Welfare and the Departmental Committee on Finance, Planning and Trade:- (i) Investigates and inquires into the allegation on the matters raised in this Petition; (ii) Requires the KRA, in pursuant to the powers bestowed on it by law, to investigate the tax evasion practices espoused in this Petition and report to the National Assembly, the Petitioner and the public as a matter of urgency; (iii)Requires the State labour and employment institutions to urgently address our concerns and take appropriate action; and, (iv) Makes any other order or direction that it deems fit in the circumstances of the Petition. 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."
}