Sunday, July 3, 2011

Kibaki, Raila misled us on tax issue, MPs claim

By JAMES KARIUKI, kamaukariuki@gmail.com
Posted  Saturday, July 2 2011 at 21:46

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Three MPs on Saturday called on President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to apologise for allegedly hoodwinking parliamentarians into supporting the new Constitution on the premise that their salaries would not be taxed.
Assistant ministers Mwangi Kiunjuri (Public Works) and Nderitu Mureithi (Industrialisation) joined Kiambaa MP Stanley Githunguri in asking the President and PM to apologise for promising that tax payment would be effected in the next Parliament.
They said the President made the promise during the pre-referendum campaign period when some MPs opposed the draft, saying the new law would make them pay taxes. But the President intervened and held a meeting with them where he convinced them that it would not happen, they said.
Hot air
“Even a letter was written to that effect but it was just hot air as we (MPs) are now in arrears,” Mr Githunguri said, speaking during Njonjo Girls’ High School’s 30th anniversary and fundraiser.
Mr Kiunjuri termed the principals’ pledge the “height of dishonesty”.
“The President, the PM and the VP came to a meeting with us MPs and told us that we would be exempt.
They should have called us to say why the change of heart. They did not tell us that they intended to pay taxes. They are playing to the public gallery.
While saying he pays taxes, Mr Kiunjuri added: “You, Stano (Githunguri) are in a position to pay immediately but some of us like Nderitu might do so in a year’s time. We shall pay taxes according to our strengths.”

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