Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has asked the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to be gentle as it pursues its taxes.
Speaking on Friday, October 28, at a Nairobi hotel during the Humanitarian Initiative 2022 which is aimed at helping Kenyans who are affected by drought, the second in command urged the authority to collect the revenue in a dignified manner.
While likening the taxpayers to a dairy cow, the former Mathira MP said Kenyans were to be sweat-talked for them to pay the taxes diligently saying that no one will be harassed to pay taxes.
“To the taxman, taxpayers are your dairy cow. Those who have done farming know that you have to be very kind to the cow that you milk. You have to give it some hay, give it some dairy meal, milk it with some good oil for it to feel good,” Gachagua said.
The DP further assured investors that President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration will not close down businesses over tax disputes with the taxman.
He termed as “foolish” the previous move by KRA to shut down businesses that could not pay taxes and called for dialogue with investors saying it was the only way to prosperity.
“That factory was paying about KSh 50 million in terms of tax every month. They sent DCI there, policemen, shut it down, arrested Humphrey Kariuki, a very enterprising Kenyan, a very honorable man, a man who was toiled through his life and built,” he stated.
The DP further promised business entities will now have it easy when looking for licenses as the service will be taken online.
“You go to an office and you cannot tell the original color of the wall because of the number of licenses hanging on the wall. Isn’t that the situation that must come to an end?” he posed.
