How much do you know about the proposed VAT Bill? Not much. Okay. Do you think that basic commodities are too expensive? Well, the VAT Bill proposes to slap a 16 per cent tax on basic commodities that are hitherto untaxed such as sanitary towels, newspapers, journals and periodicals, rice, wheat flour, bread, wheat, computers and computer software and processed milk.
Domestic electricity consumption, water drilling services, and landing and parking services for aircraft are also going to be taxed.
Apparently, as per the taxman, 11 billion is being lost under the current tax laws. The Cabinet secretary for the National Treasury is now pushing for the VAT Bill to be passed in parliament. This is outrageous, right? Going by some of the comments on the Standard’s article on the same majority of Kenyans are indifferent with a selected few showing real concern for the repercussions of passing the bill to the poor who make up majority of Kenya’s population.
The bill is a priority for the National Treasury to ensure that the taxman meets his revenue targets. So as to spend the money on issues such as increasing the Members of Parliaments’ salaries. Okay, maybe not. But I feel there should be other strategies that can be employed to meet these revenue targets. I believe the government has too much wastage of resources and if we are to tighten the belt a bit there wouldn’t be need for such measures as the VAT bill.
If you feel as I do please support and sign the petition against such tax measures here.