By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
A section of Kenyans on X, formerly Twitter, have ganged up against Molo Member of Parliament Kuria Kimani after he defended the proposed tax on motor vehicles.
The United Democrat Alliance (UDA) legislator on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, told off leaders Kenyans who were criticizing the proposed new tax.
In an interview on NTV, the youthful legislator asked Kenyans opposed to the tax to stop using vehicles.
“It is also trying to factor in a user-pay tax, or a levy…we are saying fine ‘I don’t want to pay the vehicle circulation tax’, then don’t use the car, like we are saying ‘I don’t want to use the expressway’, so don’t pay for it, go through other means,” the MP said.
The statement however did not go down well with most of the online users, many of whom bashed him.
Here are some of their reactions;
Vincent Mosweta: Same reasoning should be used when talking about the housing levy. I don’t want to pay for the house and sure as hell I definitely don’t want tha damn house let alone using it.
Danny Gonah: Matajiri hawatawai fikiria maskini kwa jinsi tunavyoelekea
Eng Koech: Next they will say if you dont want to live,don’t breath oxygen or pay
Sam Kahuro: Exposing Uda arrogance. Eti if you don’t want to pay motor vehicle tax, don’t use your car : Mp Kuria Kimani !!
The motor vehicle tax is one of the controversial proposals contained in the 2024 Finance Bill. The bill proposes an annual tax of 2.5 per cent, which will not be less than Ksh5,000 and not more than Ksh100,000 payable during renew of the insurance cover.
It also proposes that the insurance company will have the duty of remitting the tax to the government.
The bill also proposes a penalty of 50 per cent of the uncollected tax on insurers who fail to collect and remit the motor vehicle tax to KRA. They will then be required to remit the actual amount of the uncollected tax.