Governor Mutua: Spare Kenyans high taxes

Governor Alred Mutua on a fishing expedition at Pirates Beach in Mombasa.

The Government has been urged to consider slashing taxes and stop any proposed new rates in the coming financial year.

Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader, Alfred Mutua said Kenyans were already overburdened by taxes which have led to a high cost of living across the country.

“As we study the estimates of taxes presented by the National Government, I call for a stoppage of the introduction of new taxes that will burden already suffering Kenyans,” Dr Mutua said Thursday after a fishing expedition with youth at the Pirates beach in Mombasa.

Mutua, who is also the Machakos Governor said prices of all essential commodities including food should be reviewed downwards or completely exempted from taxation. “Essential commodities and activities such as food and transportation, cost of fuel as well as the cost of power should actually be reduced and not taxed further because Kenyans are tired,” Dr Mutua said.

Finance Cabinet Secretary, Henry Rotich has already sent out to the National Assembly the Treasury’s budget proposals for the 2019/20 fiscal year.

Mutua said the Sh1 trillion budget estimates envisaged in the next financial year should be financed through other ways and not taxing Kenyans further.

“The deficit should not be plugged by new taxes but by other creative ways such as reigning on wastage, reducing exaggerated costs of projects, ensuring faster completion of projects, efficient service delivery as well as stopping the massive theft of public funds,” said Mutua.

Governor Alfred Mutua samples fish after a fishing expedition with youth at Pirates beach in Mombasa. (Erastus Mulwa, Standard)

Mutua said fishermen all over the country should be given incentives by the Government in order to enhance their livelihoods and those of their families.

“The fishing experience was thrilling. It was hard work and we need to support our fishermen all over the country. We need to ensure that they can feed their families and promote them to increase their yield so that we do not import fish,” he said.