Last day for submission of views on Uhuru tax relief measures

Kenyans have until 5pm Monday to submit their views in writing on the Value added Tax (Amendment of the Rate of Tax) Order, 2020, to the National Assembly Clerk.

The 2020 Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, which President Uhuru Kenyatta announced, contains measures to address the taxation regime.

It is one of the legislative measures that MPs will be considering when they convene a special sitting on Wednesday.

“Pursuant to the provisions of Article 118 (1) (b) of the Constitution, the Clerk of the National Assembly invites interested members of public to submit written memoranda regarding the order,” reads an advert that appeared in the local dailies.

The invitation to the public to submit their views is in line with Article 118 of Constitution, which provides that parliament will facilitate public participation and involvement in legislative and other businesses of the House and its committees.

Last Friday, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi gazetted the special sitting of the House. “A special sitting shall be held in the main Parliament buildings on Wednesday from 10am,” reads the gazette notice dated April 3.

A paper on measures taken or proposals to address the pandemic and related emergency will also be tabled.

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani published a gazette notice reducing the Value Added Tax (VAT) from 16 per cent to 14 per cent.

The law permits the CS to amend the tax rate by increasing or decreasing any of the rates by an amount not exceeding 25 per cent of the rate.

Two weeks ago, President Kenyatta announced a raft of measures to cushion Kenyans from the effects of coronavirus.

They include VAT reduction from 16 per cent to 14 per cent, cutting corporate tax to 25 per cent from 30 per cent, and 100 per cent tax relief to persons earning Sh24,000 and below.

Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, who also chairs the Public Accounts Committee, termed the measures well-thought-out and reassuring.

“The measures should be able to cushion the mwananchi against the adverse effects of coronavirus. Alongside this, I urge him to sustain the war against corruption in order to free more resources towards uninterrupted provision of social services,” he said.