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| Edward Muriu, Gatanga Member of Parliament. |
The controversial housing charge would be reduced from 3 percent to 1.5 percent, according to Edward Muriu, a Gatanga Member of Parliament.
The lawmaker, who is also the United Democratic Alliance’s (UDA) secretary of legal affairs, said in a tweet on Monday that the president was paying attention to Kenyans.
“Thanks, H.E., for listening to Kenyans on the tax bill proposal with the levy dropping down from 3% to 1.5%; Kenyans are happy,” the MP said on Twitter with a picture of himself, Ruto, and other key government officials.
KPLC electricity bills are the next battleground in the conflict. They have increased their efforts and are directly challenging the power purchase agreements.
Dennis Itumbi, the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) for the Digital Economy, tweeted in support of his post with the words “Feedback counts; President Ruto listens.”
This information was recently made public a day after the National Assembly’s Finance and Planning Committee added new suggestions to several problematic sections of the Finance Bill 2023 before it was introduced in Parliament on Tuesday.
The option to reduce the 3% housing levy to 1.5%, which would solely be taken from workers, came in first place on the list of suggestions.
The committee also suggested delaying its enactment until January 2024 to set up a solid legal foundation before it is implemented.
During the public involvement hearing for Finance Bill 2023, the tax was the major topic of discussion.
Kuria Kimani, a Molo MP and the committee’s head, said on Sunday that the lawmakers are also asking that the 15% VAT on the development of digital material be decreased to 5%.
Additionally, the Committee has advocated tax exemptions for vaccinations, electric vehicles, and agricultural inputs.
The National Assembly Finance Committee has, however, advocated for keeping the 16% VAT on fuel goods in place.
The Finance Measure 2023 is scheduled to be introduced in parliament on Tuesday. Following clearance by the House Business Committee, the measure is anticipated to be read a second time on the House floor on Wednesday.