Former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta has fired back at President William Ruto and his allies over recent political jabs directed at her family over accusations of tax evasion.
Speaking on Saturday in Lamu County, said no Kenyan is to be exempted from paying taxes adding that the government has ways to handle those that do not pay tax.
“Naskia mengine inasemwa ati wengine hawatoi kodi, hawatoi nini, nashangaa kwa sababu kila mtu anaamka kusema hii na mwengine anasema hii, lakini serikali iko na laini yake ya vile mambo inaendeshwa,” Mama Ngina said.
“Mambo ya kodi, income tax ni lazima, mkubwa au mdogo, kulipa kulingana na uwezo wake na mapato yake. Hiyo si mambo ya kuzungumza katika magazeti, kwa mikutano, ama TV. Kwa sababu ukikosa kulipa kodi unapelekwa kortini, hiyo ndio sheria,” she added.
Mama Ngina went ahead and dared the government to auction her properties if she was found guilty of evading tax.
“Ukikosa kulipa ile unatakiwa kulipa, lazima vitu vyako vitachukuliwa na kuuzwa. Kwa hivyo hakuna haja…hakuna mambo ya kuwaharibia wengine majina ndio watu wasikike eti wanafanya kazi, wanaendesha nchi, hapana.
“Mtu ashtakiwe alipe ile kitu anatakiwa kulipa. Na kama ni mimi, ata nikiwa na mwaka mmoja nimekosea bila kulipa, mali ichukuliwe ilipe ile tax. Kwa hivyo hakuna haja ya kufanya siasa hivi na vile…na watu wanajua hawasemi ukweli, wanataka tu kusema ndio wasikike eti wanataja majina.” she stated.
Her remarks come at a time when there is renewed discussion about the alleged failure of the estates of late former Presidents Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi from paying taxes.
A group of Kenya Kwanza legislators had earlier requested that the national government investigate tax incentives enjoyed by the Kenyatta family during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s reign.
The senators also want county governments to conduct a similar audit on all land rates paid by members of the first family across the country.
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