Ruto's tax nightmare

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As the government seeks to increase its tax base to fund the Sh4.2 trillion budget, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua finds himself in a difficult position. His supporters, who are upset by a new tax regime, are calling for his intervention.

The source of Gachagua's predicament is Section 23 A of the Finance Act, 2023, which introduced the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System (E-TIMS). This has proven to be a major issue for many small-scale traders and farmers in Central Kenya, particularly those growing avocados, who claim they are unfamiliar with E-TIMS and want nothing to do with it.