"No tax waivers" - President Ruto reiterates everyone must honour dues to KRA

President William Ruto has emphasised that all Kenyans must pay taxes. 

Speaking during a church service at Deliverance Church International Ruai, Nairobi County, President Ruto seemed to offer the last word in the controversy surrounding tax debts allegedly owed by the former first family. 

“We are all equal before the law and we will pay our taxes in accordance with our income. This is the best consensus we can have as a nation. It will help save our country from debt. We need to get to a point where instead of borrowing we will be lending. That is the trajectory we want to take,” President Ruto said. 

“I am happy that as a country we have agreed that irrespective of your status, we will have no tax waivers,” he added. 

Earlier this week, the family of former President UhuruKenyatta faced bad press over alleged tax evasion/avoidance with Mama Ngina Kenyatta clarifying that the family has been transparent on the matter. 

“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," she said at a church service in Lamu county on Saturday, February 4. 

President Ruto urged the Kenya Revenue Authority to sort out tax disputes amicably without resulting to court. 

“Have discussions with KRA, and roll out a plan to pay your taxes in bits. Stop taking each other to court because you are benefiting lawyers while the government loses money. There will be a circular that all government agencies cannot take KRA to court.

"If there is a challenge, let there be discussions between the various agencies and settle the matter out of court. We cannot be using public money to go to court so that we stop paying taxes. We have to be united and organised and seamless,” said the President.