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{
    "id": 808279,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/808279/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 208,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kathiani, WDM-K",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Robert Mbui",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1750,
        "legal_name": "Robert Mbui",
        "slug": "robert-mbui"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker for this opportunity to also contribute on the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018. I first want to begin by saying that Kenyans are highly taxed. As a country the tax regime is overburdening our population. We pay tax on almost everything. We pay Pay as You Earn (PAYE) on our salaries, when you fuel your car, you pay the fuel levy, when you buy food there is taxation in it, VAT, Excise Duty and so many others. Tax is okay because that is what we require to run the country because the economy needs money. It is the fuel for running the economy. Unfortunately, one of the problems that we face as a nation is most of times this money is raised but it is not used in the best way possible. We do not get enough services for the money we pay in taxation. A lot of our money is lost. Every time you switch on your television or radio or buy a newspaper, there are cases of corruption. It actually feels bad for Kenyans when we are paying taxes and the money that we pay end in a few people’s pockets. We listened to the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Treasury when he was here. He has a plan of increasing the burden on Kenyans which we would have been comfortable to support. Unfortunately as I said, Kenyans are tired of the amount of taxation we are paying. This Bill is actually a relief because it is relieving the burden on Kenyans. It is not a punitive Bill; it is a Bill that is supposed to be assisting our people. The amendments on the Income Tax Act, Cap 470 are supposed to ensure that they give a tax incentive to people who want to buy homes. That is a positive thing. That is something that is helping our people. One of the other amendments is the amendment to the Stamp Duty Act, Cap 480 which is supposed to be providing an incentive for the first-time home owners by exempting them from paying stamp duty. That is a very positive thing. I am very happy because this is something we all need to support because it relieves the burden on our people. The only part where there is a burden being imposed is also the place where I feel the burden should be imposed. That is the amendment to the tax laws, the amendment to the income tax where we are introducing a withholding tax on winnings from betting and gaming. We must discourage this culture that is The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}