The Service Party (TSP) Leader Hon. Mwangi Kiunjuri now wants the government to seek other avenues of raising taxes, and reduce taxation on commodities used in every low-income household.

Kiunjuri said exacting more taxes on cooking gas and kerosine is adding to the pain of costly life.

Speaking in Timau, Meru county during a fund drive to but a church vehicle, Kiunjuri expressed his dismay that life has become unbearable for most households in Kenya, especially after the government introduced a 16% Value Added Tax on the commodity.

‘’The government has now gone for the life of common mwananchi’’.

Expensive gas will add to rising energy prices, effectively pushing up further the cost of living that rose to 16- month high in June.

‘’Mafuta taa, iko juu, na ndio inashape kila kitu..tafadhali serikali, tumefika mwisho sasa’’ Kiunjuri

His sentiments were echoed by Laikipia Senator John Kinyua who said that other tax collection measures should be absorbed to easy financial burden to low income earners.

 

‘’ …effects of covid-19 is already too much to bear, adding more taxes to that burden is denying Kenyans rights to basic needs because they can no longer afford’’ senator Kinyua.

Kenyan households have since June 2016 been enjoying low cooking gas prices after the Treasury scrapped the tax on LPG to cut costs and boost uptake among the poor who rely on dirty kerosene and charcoal for cooking…

‘’ What will happen is that people will start cutting down trees to get firewood’’ Hon. Kiunjuri

Before the introduction of 16% VAT, 13-kilogrammes of cooking gas was retailing at kshs. 2000.