President William Ruto has defended his push for all Kenyans to pay their share of taxes while campaigning against alleged tax exemptions for some powerful individuals.
Speaking on Sunday, President Ruto indicated that he was pleased that Kenyans were supporting his push for all Kenyans and business entities to remit their taxes to KRA.
He was speaking after attending a Sunday service at Deliverance Church International in Ruai, Nairobi County, where he insisted that there will be no tax exemptions for any Kenyan.
“Kenya sio animal farm. Sisi wote tuko sawa mbele ya katiba na sheria. Na mimi nafurahi kwamba sasa wakenya wote wamekubaliana hakuna mambo ya waiver ya tax. Kila mtu, awe mrefu ama mfupi, tajiri ama maskini, awe anajulikana hajulikani, awe mweupe mwembamba, kila mtu atalipa ushuru katika Kenya yetu,” said Ruto.
He had earlier during the church service indicated that no Kenyan would be taken to court over tax arrears and urged the taxman to instead seek amicable ways to resolve such matters outside the courts.
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The Head of State argues that Kenya will be able to offset her spiraling debts if everyone paid their taxes so that the government can raise more revenue to protect the economy.
“Kwa sababu nchi yetu karibu inazama sababu ya madeni. Na hiyo madeni itaumiza nchi yetu. Na dawa ya deni yenyewe ni sisi kulipa ushuru ndio tuendeshe serikali yetukwa ushuru ya taifa letu la Kenya, sio kwa madeni ya watu wengine ambao kesho watahangaisha uchumi wetu,” he added.
Ruto added that he will soon issue a circular blocking state agencies from suing Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) over tax arrears and instead solve wrangles over out of court.
He was responding to former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta who blasted his government for maligning his family’s name instead of using the law to settle any tax row with them.
Speaking for the first time on the row, Mama Ngina accused the Ruto administration of politicizing the tax issue that can be tackled through KRA or the courts using the law.