Mt. Kenya legislators abandon their people as they jealously defend RUTO and the tax on farmers – Look! This is sycophancy of the highest order

Wednesday, March 6, 2024 - Kenya Kwanza legislators stepped forward to defend the controversial farmers' tax that has stirred up concerns among farmers.

Addressing journalists yesterday, Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina clarified that the tax imposed on avocado farmers in the Finance Act is not mandatory.

According to the legislator, the Act specifies that tax may be imposed, a term indicating flexible implementation.

Furthermore, she explained that Acts of Parliament stating that a law "shall" or "must" be implemented are the ones implying mandatory implementation.

“It is not Mandatory as passed in the Act, to require that these farmers pay tax”, stated Njeri Maina.

Earlier on it was indicated that the tax would be submitted through the eTims platform as provided by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

According to Njeri, however, the KRA Commissioner has the authority to decide regarding the eTims submission of tax by farmers.

However, the Woman Representative stressed that legislators needed to engage in talks with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to chart the way forward on the taxation of farmers.

Tigania West Member of Parliament, Kanyuithia Mutunga, further clarified that the taxation targeted the end of the value chain and not the farmers themselves.

He elaborated that taxation should be applied at the point of marketing and not directly on the farmers.

The tax on farmers has sparked controversy, with farmers rejecting the imposition of taxation.

Previously, two MPs from Murang’a County faced uproar when they chased away KRA officers conducting a sensitization on eTims alongside their constituents on Friday despite supporting the controversial Finance Act.

The Kenyan DAILY POST