Taxing Kenyans heavily is not good, says lawyer

 

Former President of the East African Law Society Lawyer James Aggrey Mwamu at his office in Kisumu-Photo By Dickson Odhiambo

By Dickson Odhiambo

November 14, 2023

Taxing Kenyans heavily is not good, says lawyer

The issue of Government taxing Kenyans heavily is not right at all, a lawyer has said.

Former President of the East African Law Society James Aggrey Mwamu says increasing taxes on issues like getting National Identity Cards, replacing ID Cards, Passports and birth certificates is not in order at all.

Addressing the press at his office in Kisumu, Mwamu said it is like the Government is asking Kenyans to pay for being Kenyans.

Mwamu says the move is not right constitutionally, adding that it is exploitative in nature.

“When you are born in a country as a citizen, something like issuance of ID Cards should be free of charge because you are in a particular country and this is why taxes are collected to ensure that the people who are Kenyans do not have to pay for being Kenyans,” Mwamu says.

He says even the where Kenyans who are born outside the country will be required to pay shs 50,000 to make a comeback is not the correct thing at all, adding that such like a thing is should never be allowed.

Mwamu at the same time say that the issue of the ever increasing fuel prices in the country is also not good, adding that it should be lowered.

He says there is no way the ongoing crisis between Israel and Hamas has led to the increase in fuel prices across the country as claimed by the Ministry of Energy.

Mwamu says the Government should relook into itself and consider Kenyans by lowering the high cost of living.

Mwamu has supported the sentiments by the Catholic Bishops who recently said corruption has really increased and a lot of funds is being lost through the vice.

He has asked the EACC to fight the issue of corruption across the country.