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{
    "id": 808339,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/808339/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 268,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Lang’ata, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Nixon Korir",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13404,
        "legal_name": "Generali Nixon Kiprotich Korir",
        "slug": "generali-nixon-kiprotich-korir"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. From the outset, I rise to support the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018. The intended purpose of the tax laws is to raise more revenue for the Government. It is an aspiration of every government to sustain itself without borrowing. This is a good step in terms of trying to raise the revenue because we have the Big Four Agenda and other projects that need to be done. Just as my colleagues have said, we are also hoping that the revenue that will be collected will equate to service delivery because that is what Kenyans want. They want service delivered for the tax they pay. I want to support the exemption of the stamp duty for the first home owners. Many people in this country cannot afford housing because it is very expensive. One of the expenses of course is the stamp duty which goes up to 4 per cent of the value of the house. Exemption of the first owners from paying this stamp duty will motivate very many young people and those people who do not have a lot of money so that they can purchase a decent house for their families. On the VAT, I want to agree with my colleagues that moving some of the basic commodities like unga from zero rating to tax exemption is not appropriate. This will mean that the companies that are producing these commodities will not be able to claim the 16 per cent VAT from the items they are using to produce these commodities. That will translate to them adding the 16 per cent to the cost of the commodities and pharmaceuticals. Every government aspires to provide affordable cost of living to its citizens. Apart from that, I support this Bill on the basis that we are trying to raise revenue so that we are able to raise more money for the Big Four Agenda. We want to be a self-sustaining country so that we are able to minimise the borrowings from other international actors. Thank you. I support."
}