Tough Nairobi life, VAT sends Ugandan player home

Sofapaka FC goalkeeper Mathias Kigonya takes a penalty kick against Mathare United FC during their Kenyan Premier League (KPL) match at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on February 25, 2018 [Courtesy]

Heavy taxation in Kenya is one of the reasons Ugandan goalkeeper Mathias Kigonya left the county in a huff, The Nairobian has learnt.

Kigonya is recuperating from the tough burden of having to part with extra coins as life in Nairobi continue to shoot through the roof with each passing day, thanks to the eight per cent VAT.

Kigonya is currently in his homeland after he terminated his contract with Sofapaka, about two weeks ago. But The Nairobian has since learned that the Ugandan decided to call it quits after the club declined to heed to his pay hike demands.

Speaking to The Nairobian from Uganda, Kigonya reveals that he was axed from Sofapaka’s squad after he tabled a request to the club to increase his salary following the high standards of living — even as he laments about the high cost of living in Kenya.

President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law the Finance Bill that saw an eight per cent increment on all oil products. The increased taxation saw the prices of basic commodities - from food to transportation and even data bundles - shoot up by at least eight per cent.

Heavy taxation in Kenya is one of the reasons Ugandan goalkeeper Mathias Kigonya left the county [Courtesy]

With increased pressure from the high standards of living and stunted salary after two years with the 2008 KPL champions, Kigonya saw it fit to run away from high taxation by the Kenyan government.

“I left because I had a problem paying a lot of tax,” the goalkeeper who scored four league goals for Sofapaka last season told Nairobian in an interview.

“I requested the club in a good way if they could increase my salary but it was impossible. Taxation in Kenya is not only high for foreign players but even Kenyans.”

While the Ugandan is not ruling out any possibility of returning to the KPL if he finds a good offer, Kigonya now claims that Sofapaka have refused to hand him the release letter, making it even harder to find a new club.

“I requested to leave in a good way and after forwarding the letter, it was before (FKF Shield) finals, they stopped me from training.

“I don’t have a problem coming back to KPL but the problem is that they (Sofapaka) have not given me my release letter,” said the former Bright Star goalkeeper.