NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 6 – The Kenya Kwanza Administration has dismissed rumours that its mulling to re-introduce the Estate Duty Act that was abolished in 1982.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa insisted that there is no proposal made in the Finance Bill to effect the tax.
“There is no proposal to introduce the inheritance tax, I am not aware of any such proposal,” he stated.
“The only way those taxes can be introduced again is through the Finance Bill,”Ichung’wa said.
The Estate law was scrapped by parliament through the Estate Duty (Abolition) Act 1982, which was assented to by former President Daniel Moi and took effect on June 28, 1982.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei had expressed his intention to move a motion seeking to amend the alleged law oblivious that the law had been repealed.
The previous act set out the property that was subject to estate duty tax and included everything posessed by the deceased at the time of death.
The effect of this amendment was to exempt Mzee Jomo Kenyatta’s and the late President Daniel Moi property from being subject of estate duty.
The next battle front being the fact finding mission to establish previous state officials and individuals who have been exempted from taxes impunitively.
Ichung’wa has written to the National Treasury CS Njuguna Ndungu requesting information on list of individuals and firms who have benefitted from tax waivers.
In his request,Ichung’wa narrowed his quest since January 2018 to date pointing out that some key state officials from previous administration manipulated the law to grant tax waivers to their families.
“Everybody is obligated to pay taxes and no state officer has power to waive taxes for the families,”
“The end game is to ensure that taxes are paid by all Kenyans so that we end impunity,”Ichung’wa said.
The Majority Leader mentioned they have given the Treasury Cabinet Secretary fourteen days to furnish the House with the details.
This is even as he dispelled the notion that the President William Ruto administration was engaging in a political vendetta against the retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Ichung’wa asserted that previous regime violated Article 210 to protect their families and friends from paying the taxman his dues.
“Let no one be mistaken that this pursuit is targeting anyone.We want to establish whether the waivers are done in accordance to the law,”the Majority Leader said.
