President Uhuru Kenyatta’s proposals to introduce VAT on petroleum products have been controversially passed in parliament amid spirited opposition from the majority of the Members of Parliament. In his ruling, Speaker Justine Muturi, held that the Opposers did not meet the minimum threshold of 233 members that was needed to shoot down the bill.

Earlier…

The speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Muturi, had re-ordered a re-vote on the President’s Proposal on introduction of VAT on petroleum products. This had been informed by the shocking details that the screens in parliament showed total voters as 352; that surpassed the possible maximum total of all members of parliament, 349.

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s proposal to introduce 8% VAT on petroleum products was controversially passed even as those opposed to the it continued to interrupt house proceedings. The opposers were unable to raise the required two thirds majority (233 MPs) to shoot down the proposals. There were only 215 members of parliament in the house by the time voting took place. A section of the Members have vehemently opposed the outcome of the vote.

The Members verbally rejected President Uhuru’s proposal to introduce the new Value Added Tax on Petroleum Products chanting ‘Zero, Zero, Bado mapambano..’ as the Question was put to the whole house committee. This happened before the vote was called.

Life is becoming gradually unbearable for most Kenyans in the middle and low class earners. The cost of living is on the rise as days pass by. Prices of commodities have skyrocketed in a span of few years. The future isn’t promising either.  It is a tale-tale life for most Kenyans and teachers aren’t spared either. The future is bleak; increased cost of living with meager pay, most Kenyans are doomed!

A raft of measures, put up by the Jubilee government to fund its budget, have had a major negative impact on the quality of living for most locals. Among other decisions that have made life unbearable for most Citizens, we sample the most stinging ones::

1. Increase of M-Pesa mobile cash tax to 20 percent.
The cost of sending money through mobile services such as Safaricom’s   M-Pesa will increase further after President Uhuru Kenyatta proposed to raise tax on the services from 12 per cent to 20 per cent.

2. ATM, Banking charges to go up as levies are doubled: President Uhuru, yesterday, doubled the tax on bank charges income from 10 percent to 20 percent. This means that you will pay more for banking services like: ATM withdrawals and deposits, over the counter transactions among other services.
3. New Housing Scheme: Workers will be deducted 1.5 per cent from their pay, monthly, to create a fund to finance a new low cost housing fund after Uhuru reinstated the levy.
4. Massive budget cuts: This year’s budget has been re-adjusted downwards from the initial 3.02 trillion to 2.9 trillion. The cuts will affect utility services and projects like: The Constituency Development Fund (CDF), National Affirmative Action Development Fund (NADF) and the allocation of funds to roads construction.
5. The 8 percent VAT on fuel will mean that the price of Petroleum products (and infarct all house hold commodities) will trade at higher prices; as manufactures pass the production and transport costs to consumers. The reduction of Petroleum products VAT from 16 percent to 8 percent takes effect this month.
6. 15 percent excise cost on internet usage: This tax will mean that consumers will dig deeper into their pockets to purchase the now expensive data bundles. The increase in tax from 10 to 15 percent will affect both data and voice services.
7. Betting Winning amounts to be taxed at 20%.
8. Adulteration tax on Kerosene goes up to a rate of Kshs. 18 per litre.
9. A contributory statutory pension scheme is also on the way for all workers. This new scheme will see government employees forfeit 7 percent of their basic pay to fund the scheme.

Indeed, it is tough times ahead for many Kenyans!

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The widow to the slain ICT Boss to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, IEBC, Eva Buyu has finally landed a government job. She was appointed to be a member of the Export Processing Zone, EPZ, authority for a term of three years. The Authority’s mandate is to promote and facilitate export oriented investments and to develop an enabling environment for such investments. The EPZ Authority is a State Corporation, under the Ministry of Industrialization and Enterprise Development.

Through the Kenya Gazette-Vol.-117-21-9-18-Special-Awards, published yesterday, Eva Buyu was appointed together with John Masaba and former Mbooni Legislator, Kisoi Munyao.

Decorated businessman and ZEDEKIAH BUNDOTICH (Buzeki), who vied for the Uasin Gishu Gubernatorial seat in the last general elections, will head the Board of Chemelil Sugar Company Limited, for a period of three (3) years.

EKWEE ETHURO, the former Senate Speaker, was appointed to be the Chairperson of the Higher Education Loans Board, for aperiod of five (5) years, with effect from the 20th September, 2018.

NASA CEO, Norman Magaya, got appointment into the Ezekiel Mutua led Kenya Film Classification Board as a member. ex-Mwingi North member of Nationa Assembly, John Munuve, was named member and non-executive chair to the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) for a period of 3 years.

President Uhuru made the appointments on 20 September, 2018. The appointments draw nominees from all the political divides with Wiper’s Kalonzo musyoka getting a share.

Chris Musando’s body had several cuts when it was found at City Mortuary by family members on Monday, Jul. 31, 2017. His killers have been found to date.

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