A section of Nairobi MPs allied to opposition leader Raila Odinga have vowed to reject the President Uhuru Kenyatta's proposed 8% Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel and petroleum products.
The MPs say that they will go against their party leader Raila Odinga's advise on supporting the VAT and will instead stand with millions of Kenyans.
Led by Kibera MP Ken Okoth, the lawmakers said the 8% VAT is allegedly meant to hurt common ‘mwananchi’.
Speaking to journalists at the Parliament Buildings in Nairobi on Wednesday, Okoth said that he will vote in the interests of millions of Kenyans.
“The 8% VAT proposed on fuel and petroleum will subject Kenyans to economic suffering,” he said.
Okoth said that the government should not tax fuel and petroleum.
“We had voted to suspend the VAT but now the President has brought it back and we will do what millions of Kenyans want us to,” he said.
“The VAT will not see the light of the day on Thursday because it is against the interests of Kenyans,” Dagorreti North MP Simba Arati said.
Arati added that millions of Kenyans are already suffering as a result of the 16% VAT that came into force on September 1.
The ODM MP argued that they will vote not to impress their party leaders but to safeguard the interests of Kenyans.
Mathare lawmaker Anthony Oluoch asked Uhuru to suspend the proposed VAT.
He said that the country is likely to suffer economically as a result of the planned VAT on fuel.
He further raised concerns over the proposed budgetary cuts.
“We will do our best on Thursday and ensure Kenyans interests reign,” he said.
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