Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has written to the Clerk of the Senate seeking to amend a section of the law exempting former presidents Daniel Moi and Jomo Kenyatta from paying taxes.
Cherargei wants to delete a clause in section 7(3) Estate Duty Act Revised edition 2012 (1964) Cap 483.
“I have proposed an amendment of section 7(3) of the Estate Duty act CAP 483 that exempts former presidents Kenyatta & Moi including their estates from paying taxes contrary to Article 210 of the constitution instead the vulnerable should be exempted. Kulipa ushuru ni kujitegemea,” he wrote on Twitter.
In the letter to the Clerk, Cherargei wrote: “a) Proposed amendment that Section 7 sub-section (3) of the Estate Duty Act be deleted the following words “This section shall not apply to HE Mace Jomo Kenyatta or to H.E Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi”.
“b) This section be replaced by inserting the following words “that this section shall not apply to the disabled, minorities and marginalized as provided by the relevant law”.”
Last week, President William Ruto said every citizen must pay taxes, adding that Kenya is not an animal farm where some animals are more equal than others.
“Even if they sponsor demonstrations so that they do not pay tax, I want to promise them that they will pay tax, there are no more exemptions.
“This country is not the animal farm where some are more equal than others, we are going to have a society where every citizen carries their fair share of our burden to raise our taxes,” the Head of State said.
Ruto was speaking in Mombasa where he presided over the National Assembly’s Post-Election Seminar 2023 in collaboration with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
Without mentioning names, Ruto said some Kenyans holding high offices have been exempting themselves from paying taxes “using all manner of instruments”, burdening the common mwananchi.
“I’m not talking about additional taxes, I’m talking about taxes that have been agreed upon by parliament and signed into law,” he added.
Ruto has been critical of the rallies organised by Raila, arguing that the opposition chief is up to no good.
