Kenyan publishers urge Gov't to scrap 16% VAT on books
Kenyan publishers are now urging the government
to remove the 16 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on books.
Kenya Publishers Association (KPA) Chairman
Kiarie Kamau, addressing a media briefing on Sunday, noted that the tax has
made the price of books costly, thus making access to reading materials
expensive.
“At 16%, this tax only serves to make books
more expensive, hence unaffordable to the common mwananchi,” stated Mr. Kamau.
“We therefore call upon the government to
scrap VAT on books, as a way of making knowledge affordable to all, hence
promoting lifelong learning, and growing the knowledge economy.”
The KPA boss also announced the start of the
25th Edition of the Nairobi International Book Fair, starting on Wednesday through
to Sunday, September 29, at the Sarit Centre Expo.
Mr. Kamau, who is also the MD of the East
African Educational Publishers, noted that so far 150 million books have been
supplied by the government for free to all public schools.
He further decried the increasing book piracy
in the country, vowing that KPA in collaboration with the Kenya Copyright Board
(KECOBO) will continue to fight the menace.
Also during the event that was attended by
KPA board members, the association announced 13 books shortlisted for this
year's annual Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature.
The winners will be announced during the gala
night for the KPA Jubilee celebration on September 29 during the book fair.
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