UDA MPs make U-turn as they reject taxes RUTO has imposed on poor farmers even after overwhelmingly voting for Finance Bill

Wednesday, March 6, 2024 - Gatanga MP Edward Muriu and his Kandara counterpart, Chege Njunguna have made a big U-turn on President William Ruto’s controversial Finance Act that has imposed heavy taxation on poor farmers.

Speaking during an event where KRA representatives were enlightening the farmers on the provisions of the Finance Act, the MPs rallied behind avocado farmers to reject a section of Finance Bill 2023 even after enthusiastically voting for the bill.

The two lawmakers elected on Ruto’s UDA party ticket under the Kenya Kwanza government said that they will not allow their farmers to be humiliated through heavy taxation.

The KRA officials also explained to the farmers how to generate and transmit their invoices via the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System (eTIMS).

However, the legislators boldly stated that they wouldn't bow to the requirements of the taxman.

"We are telling the government we are not going to pay those avocado taxes. 

"And we have said and we refuse for our farmers to be killed by these taxes. Hiyo maneno tumekataa kabisa," said Chege Njunguna.

His Gatanga counterpart, Muriu argued that the government opted to introduce taxes on avocado farmers after their exports hit KSh20 billion in 2023.

Muturi went further to accuse KRA of not imposing taxes on other products such as fish, maize, and sugarcane from certain parts of the country.

"The mistake is here, our coffee is taxed, our tea is taxed, yet maize, fish, and sugarcane are not taxed. Last year, Kenya exported avocados worth KSh20 billion. 

"Someone saw that money and got interested. The KRA chairman hails from Kandara, when I leave this meeting, I will call and inform him that people from Gatanga and Kandara have refused," added Muriu.

The Kenyan DAILY POST