Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja has announced the adoption of an increase in levies imposed on alcoholic drinks and licensing.
“On alcoholic drinks and licensing, every single public participation session proposed a raise because of the sprawling nature of these establishments,” Governor Sakaja stated at a press briefing in the Nairobi County Assembly.
However, he announced the scraping of the taxes that had been proposed on public preachers.
Notably, in July 2023, Governor Sakaja imposed a flat tax rate of Kshs 1,000 for preachers preaching within parks in Nairobi.
Only those preaching at Jeevanjee Gardens were set to pay Ksh500 per day.
Also Read: Sakaja Announces Commence Date of Jogoo Road, Valley Road BRT Works
He noted that every public participation session proposed an increment on alcoholic drinks and licensing, citing the sprawling nature of these establishments.
Additionally, he stated that the levy is meant to reduce the cases of alcoholism in the county, noting that young people were getting into alcoholism in large numbers.
“The proposal to raise charges on alcoholic drinks and licensing was adopted to help control the number of drinking outlets across the county, that many of our young people have fallen captive to,” stated Sakaja.
The Sakaja administration also envisions to increase rent by 10% unlike the earlier proposed 25%.
“Following consultation with our great people who have given us mandate, we have only increased that by 10%” Sakaja stated.
More Sakaja Taxes
He also spoke on the levies proposed on the impounding of non-compliant vehicles in Nairobi City County.
“After a lot of sessions, not just the public participation sessions but my own, engagements with those in the public sector, the matatu sector, the taxis, impounding charges were retained in some areas and reduced in others,” the former Nairobi Senator explained.
He stated that this move was meant to promote compliance.
Other levies that the Governor Sakaja highlighted include the Kshs3,000 levy on photographers and videographers within the city, instead of Kshs5,000 as earlier proposed.
Also Read: Video of Sakaja Mocking Ruto Resurfaces
Moreover, the earlier imposed tax of Kshs500 shillings that was envisioned to target family planning services has been scrapped.
Furthermore, the upward review of taxes that had been earlier proposed to Nairobi’s market stalls was reduced from the earlier proposed 30%.
“After public participation, we have listened, those charges were revised to a modest 10%,” the Governor said in his address. The taxes will mount economic pressure on Kenyans already burdened by taxes from the national government.
