Trouble in Paradise? ODM Blasts Jubilee over fuel tax

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A raging court battle over a new 16 per cent Value Added Tax on petroleum products stated on Wednesday after the Government failed to comply with High Court order reversing the levy that came into force on September 1.

The Energy Regulatory Commission, which on Friday said it had not been ‘properly served’ with the court order, is expected to be put to task for contempt of court filed by Lawyer Ken Amondi who wants Kenyans compensated for what he terms ‘illegal levying of VAT on petroleum products from 4.00PM on 6/9/2018.’

“That this court be pleased to issue an urgent notice upon Energy Regulatory Commission Director General to show cause why contempt of court proceedings should not be brought against him,” reads the application.

At the same time, the Orange Democratic Movement is pushing hard for the government to respect the order issued in Bungoma last week halting the implementation of the tax.

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The Raila Odinga-led party accused ERC, the body charged with regulating prices in the sector, of deliberately ignoring the court order and inflicting more pain on an already overburdened population.

The government has leeched on poor Kenyans to the extent that they have nothing more to give. In this debt-laden, corruption-ridden economy that holds little promise for the ordinary mwananchi, it is nothing but sheer insanity to now try to tax the citizens to their graves,” said the party’s Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna in a statement.

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He added that Jubilee has a history of disobeying court orders and treating them based on their ‘friendliness.’

“A casual glance at that history will reveal the impunity of these actions, from court orders halting police recruitment a few years ago that were ignored, orders for the appearance of CS Fred Matiang’i and the Inspector General of police in court as well as the subsequent warrants for their arrest, and the now infamous multiple orders to restore Miguna Miguna’s passport and produce him in court,” Mr Sifuna said.

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