Kenyans give views on tax laws, demand State accountability

Kenyans were on Monday livid while airing their views before a parliamentary committee during its two sessions on proposed amendments to tax laws, in Bungoma and Isiolo counties.

Expressing their views on the Public Finance Amendment Bill 2024, Public Procurement and Disposal Act Amendment Bill 2024, Tax Procedures Amendment Bill 2024, and the Tax Laws Amendment Bill 2024, the majority of participants described the government’s tax regime as punitive with little or no benefit to the taxpayer.

In Bungoma, residents called on the government to exercise accountability in its revenue collection while in Isiolo, most residents wondered why the National Assembly Committee on Finance was seeking their views, because ‘they will not be considered anyway’. 

At Bungoma’s County Hall, residents raised concerns over misuse of collected revenue, asking the government to streamline the many loopholes where money is stolen first, before lobbying for more tax from Kenyans. “Kenyans don’t need more tax laws, what is needed is for the government to be accountable and transparent in how the already collected revenue is being used,” said one George Wekesa a bodaboda rider in Bungoma town. 

Wekesa expressed his disappointment in the Kenya Kwanza administration for increased taxes on basic commodities saying this has led to unbearable living standards. He said the government can impose taxes on vehicles but has to learn not to load taxes on food commodities. “Vehicles are a luxury that only the rich can afford, but food is a basic need that even the poorest Kenyan needs to survive. I support the taxation on vehicles, but let the government remove all taxes on food items,” said Wabomba. 

His sentiments were echoed by Emmanuel Wekesa a businessman from Kanduyi who said it was insensitive of the government to increase taxes on already overtaxed Kenyans. 

Wekesa noted that the tax imposed on motorbikes and Tuktuks’ is way too high that most Kenyans are unable to buy motorbikes and have been turning to lenders who exploit them.  “In Bungoma, bodaboda business is our source of livelihood and once we are unable to pay these hiked levies to institutions that lend us the bikes, we lose them and lose our income,” said Wekesa. Wekesa lamented that the government has become deaf to the cry of its people claiming that forums, such as the ongoing public participation are created last minute, as a formality. He claimed that views given are rarely considered at passing the laws. 

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Jane Wambui, a boutique owner faulted the government for making it hard to do business in Kenya today. She said running a small business is an unbearable experience due to the high taxation on business licences. “Businesses are closing down, because we are not making sales, we pay a lot of money in acquiring licenses, but we are not making sales, because of overtaxed commodities that Kenyans can’t afford,” she said. 

Wambui said it is unfair for the government to again load tax on till numbers and electronic money transfers, saying that will completely cripple them. “Now, if they tax the little pennies that we make through tills, how are we going to stay afloat?” posed Wambui. 

In Isiolo, Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Finance Molo Mp Kuria Kimani assured Kenyans that their views will be considered even as residents expressed doubts about whether their views will count. The committee said the amendments of the existing laws are necessary to ensure the government raises enough revenue to fund both services and development across the country even as care was taken so that the tax regime is not punitive to Kenyans.  

Additional reporting by Bruno Mutunga