No more tax on Kenyans’ payslips, CS Mbadi vows

An uncomfortable seat on the terrace for the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury John Mbadi and the Kenya Revenue Authority board chair was the least of their worries in their inaugural visit to Bunge La Mwananchi.

Mbadi who has been keen on communicating the government expenditure took the heat for the government's continued raid on the payslip.

“We are not increasing VAT at all actually, the finance bill this year may not have any tax adjustment upward in terms of rates, we cannot overtax Kenyans anymore we have reached a limit where we are saying no more space for taxation on employment income,” Mbadi said.

Members of the public further took the Cabinet Secretary to task over government expenditure ranging from State House renovations, with most questioning whether the government's misplaced priorities in disregard to its own austerity measures.

“Tumerenovate, so what you need to tell me is don’t spend any more money on renovation isn’t it? Ju hiyo nyumba ukona saizi ni mzuri imekuwa renovated imechukua ile pesa imechukua,” Mbadi said.

Mbadi also found himself in trouble for flying to his rural home in choppers

“I have used a chopper before on three occasions to government functions and I have just told you about going to Tana River. I left Nairobi after a meeting at State House to go to Tana River and back, I don’t know whether I’d have made it using my car,” the CS said.

“From there I had another function in Kisumu so let me ask you, once I finish that and I want to go to my rural home, does the chopper drop me on the road and come back to Nairobi and I walk to my home the chopper will drop me at my home?”

And with every question for the Cabinet Secretary seemingly mounting pressure on the government, the CS was forced to take a softer tone to encourage the demonstrably unconvinced crowd that things will change for the better following measures in place by the government even as he sort to make a case for the deductions including the controversial social health insurance fund and the housing levy.

“SHA is an insurance and insurance does not mean that when you pay money for health you must fall sick,” said Mbadi.