Thursday, November 7, 2024 - Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wah has strongly defended President William Ruto’s government decision to reintroduce taxes on sanitary pads and diapers.
While speaking before the National Assembly, Ichung'wah explained the government's reasoning behind plans to convert diapers and sanitary towels from zero-rated to exempt status under the Eco Levy.
He noted that the bill was meant
to protect Kenyans from substandard products imported from abroad.
"Kenyans from the
manufacturing industry appeared before the finance committee and told them that
We are killing our local manufacturing industry by encouraging imports rather
than local manufacturing," the lawmaker observed.
The Eco Levy, brought forth by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, seeks to reclassify the products including sanitary towels and diapers such that they will be slapped with Value Added Tax (VAT) going forward.
In other words, the products will no longer be
taxed at zero per cent.
According to Ichung'wa, the
public was misinformed and made to believe that parliament was pushing a
bill to levy tax on all diapers and sanitary towels, whilst the intention
was to impose a hefty levy on imported products as a means to encourage local
high-quality manufacturing.
At the same time, he blasted
leaders for misinforming the public by 'saying what was popular
instead of what is right'.
According to him, the anti-Finance Bill protests that rocked the country in June and July were misinformed as the youth were protesting against a bill that they did not fully comprehend.
He also blamed leaders for failing to balance public
participation exercises with proposals and bills that lawmakers intended to
push.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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