The intention of a Finance Bill is to finance the budget
that has been passed in Parliament.
The intention of a tax is to raise revenue but the intention
of taxation should never be to punish the consumers who are the Kenyan
citizens.
Therefore, the government in its wisdom or lack of the same
by moving to impose certain taxes on Kenyans definitely destroys the lives of these Kenyans.
When you look at some of the sections of this Finance Bill,
when you talk about the Pay As You Earn (P.A.Y.E) which has been capped at 35
per cent on the highest side, it destroys the lives of those who are employed.
This tax is too high and the disposable income is constant,
it therefore tells you that even the money the government is willing to collect
will not be sufficient in terms of revenue.
Because if a person was earning X amount of money and he is
being highly taxed and this person was supposed to use this disposable income,
spending it on other items then that person will shelve that ambition of purchasing.
That will even make the government not to collect more
taxes.
Because of inflation and high cost of living, Sh1000 last year
is not equivalent to Sh1000 today. Why? Because of the high cost of goods and
services and therefore what Sh1000 was buying last year, the same amount may not be able to this year.
The government that is imposing dangerous taxes on its
citizens is a government that is ready to finish its own citizens.
That is unacceptable and more reasons why the Finance Bill
ought to have been rejected.
You are expected to be filing tax returns and the duration that had been given is six
months, this Bill proposes the duration be reduced to four months.
Remember last year, by June 30, the system
crushed and KRA had to be forced to make an extension of seven days.
If last year system crushed with six months duration, now
what would happen if it is reduced?
This administration does not have the interest of Kenyans at
heart and the change we desire can only be brought about by the Linda Mwanachi.
The Embakasi East MP spoke to the Star.
