President William Ruto on Wednesday December 11, 2024 signed seven parliamentary Bills aimed at accelerating the implementation of the Kenya Kwanza government agenda.
The Bills include the Kenya Revenue Authority (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Kenya Roads (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Statutory Instruments (Amendment) Bill 2023.
Others are the Business Laws (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Tax Procedures (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill 2024.
For instance, the KRA Bill 2024 provides for the appointment of deputy commissioners by the Commissioner-General, although the appointments will be subject to the approval of the Board.
The EACC Bill 2024 aims at effecting the recommendations submitted by the National Dialogue Committee on governance.
It also amends the provisions of the EACC Act prescribing the qualifications for the appointment of the chairperson of the commission.
The Bill requires that the EACC chairperson should be a person qualified to hold the office of a judge of the High Court.
Meanwhile, the Business Laws (Amendment) Bill 2024 seeks to amend various Acts of Parliament to boost financial stability and promote integrity in the financial services sector.
It also promotes the ease of doing business in the country through the amendment of the Kenya Accreditation Service Act.
The Statutory Instruments Bill will amend the provisions of the Statutory Instruments Act, Cap 2A to require a CS responsible for a regulation-making authority that fails to submit a statutory instrument to Parliament, to publish a gazette notice nullifying the statutory instrument.
On the other hand, the Tax Procedures Bill will enhance clarity on the nature of Electronic Tax Invoices to simplify compliance for small businesses.
Additionally, the Bill requires the inclusion of the tax invoice’s serial number, issuance date and time, supply date and time if different, among other items.
The Tax Laws Bill will amend the provisions of the Income Tax Act (Cap. 470), the Value Added Tax Act (Cap. 476), the Excise Duty Act (Cap. 472) and the Miscellaneous Fees and Levies Act (Cap. 469C).
