Raila Odinga, the leader of the Azimio party, has told President William Ruto to leave former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta alone in the midst of the raging tax debate.
Speaking on Sunday, February 5, at the Kamukunji Grounds in Kibra, Odinga stated that Ruto and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, should respect Mama Ngina.
He claimed that Mama Ngina’s decision to come out and clarify tax evasion claims by the Kenya Kwanza government was embarrassing for them.
“Yesterday, Mama Ngina came out to speak on the issue because they really insulted her. She was arrested during Mau Mau and spent time in Kamiti. You have no respect yet she is the age of your grandmother,” Odinga stated.
According to the Azimio chief, the law exempting presidents from paying taxes was passed in 1963 and implemented in 1969.
He accused Ruto and Gachagua of being ignorant, despite the fact that the law was amended in 1982 to exempt not only the heirs of the presidents, but every Kenyan, from paying tax on an inherited estate when their parents die.
“The law initially only exempted Jomo Kenyatta but when Moi took over, he added his name in 1981. In 1982, Â the parliament exempted all Kenyans from paying taxes if they inherited land from their parents should they die. That is the law of succession,” he noted.
According to Odinga, Ruto encouraged tax evasion by appointing notorious tax evaders to the cabinet and as heads of state corporations.
The former Prime Minister’s attack on the government came just a day after Mama Ngina denied allegations that she did not submit remittances to the revenue collector.
She declared that paying taxes was every Kenyan’s constitutional duty and challenged the government to auction her property if she did not produce proof of her alleged tax evasion.
