Parliament must tame gambling industry

Parliament should rise above petty politics and give the Midiwo Bill a second look taking into consideration the following factors. Many families especially from poor background have been left destitute as breadwinners squander all their income on gambling and betting games. So the billions of shillings earned by betting companies can be termed “blood“ money that ideally should have been spent by the naive gamblers to uplift their welfare.

Secondly, majority of gamblers are young men and women whose earnings cannot sustain gambling 24/7. Question is where does all the money they gamble come from? It is correct to say gambling is contributing to crime and prostitution. The victims are therefore the very constituents and families that jittery MPs represent. So why should parliamenterians develop cold feet at their hour of need?

Thirdly, the gambling industry is a commercial venture like any other and must therefore pay taxes to government. I propose a tax rate of 30 per cent for the industry - tax rates of 7 per cent or 15 per cent are a slap on the wrist!

Fourthly, losers of gambling bets are also vulnerable to drug abuse, exasperating an already bad situation. All Kenyans must engage in productive lifestyle devout of fantasy if our country has to attain its development goals such as Vision 2030.

Parliament will therefore be failing in its duty if it does not give direction and tame the gambling industry.

Joe Musyoki,

Kitengela