Raila Odinga Criticizes Mt Kenya Leaders for Bemoaning Burdensome Taxes on Farmers
ODM leader Raila Odinga criticized certain Mt Kenya leaders for complaining about the harsh taxes outlined in the 2023 Finance Bill.
At a recent ODM membership recruitment event in Suba, Homabay County, Raila asserted that it was hypocritical for Kenya Kwanza MPs to oppose the implementation of a bill they had previously supported with overwhelming approval.
The leader of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party remembered directing opposition lawmakers to oppose the bill due to its punitive nature.
“Recently, they brought a finance bill that introduced new taxes, and we gave instructions to our members of ODM to oppose the bill because it was an oppressive bill, it was introducing excessive taxation on our people, including our farmers, because it was introducing a tax called the commodities tax, meaning they were going to even tax things which are even products of agriculture,” Raila said.
The ex-prime minister expressed surprise upon hearing some Mt Kenya lawmakers complaining about the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System (ETIMS), which aims to tax farmers, including those in avocado farming.
“When they were doing campaigns, they said they would return a guaranteed minimum return. That language has now disappeared. I was shocked to see some members of parliament from the region who voted for the bill rushing to oppose the implementation of the bill.. Shame on them,” he added.
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Raila Odinga Criticizes Mt Kenya Leaders for Bemoaning Burdensome Taxes on Farmers
