National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa has denied claims that there are plans to reintroduce the Estate Duty Act that was established in 1982.
Ichung’wa says 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.
Parliament scrapped the Estate law through the Estate Duty (Abolition) Act 1982.
It was assented to by former President Daniel Moi and took effect on June 28, 1982.
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.
At the same time, Ichung’wa has written to the National Treasury CS Njuguna Ndungu demanding information on list of individuals and firms who have benefited from tax waivers.
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Ichung’wa says 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.
He has given the Treasury Cabinet Secretary fourteen days to furnish the House with the details.
“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.