EPRA Chief Summoned for Fuel Tax Issue
The updated service charter issued by the Ministry of Interior has also stated that foreign individuals will be granted visas within 48 hours after submitting an online application.
Before the Appellate Court decided to revoke the injunctions preventing the enactment of the Act on July 28th, the EPRA had already taken steps to enforce updated pricing. The individuals filing the petition contended that this action could be seen as a disregard for the court’s authority.
The ruling of the Appellate Court was issued shortly following the rescheduling of the Finance Act hearing to September 13 and 14 by the High Court.
In this context, the three-judge panel led by David Majanja, along with Christine Meoli and Lawrence Mugambi, rejected the request of Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah. He had applied to question National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Senate counterpart Amason Kingi about their affidavits. These affidavits stated that both houses agreed before passing the law.
In his plea, Omtatah raised concerns about the legality of the disputed statute, asserting that the National Assembly approved the law without incorporating the Senate’s contributions.
In the statements, they provided under oath, both Wetang’ula and Kingi confirmed the agreement. On the other hand, Omtatah disagreed with this standpoint, asserting that the two speakers were being dishonest.
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“There is a need to have the Speaker of the Senate cross-examined because what he has deposed in his affidavits are lies. I am a sitting Senator and there was never such concurrence,” the senator argued.
The attorneys representing Wetang’ula and Kingi contested the request, stating that the sworn statements of their clients were based on facts.
One of the parties involved in the case, which is The Law Society of Kenya, contended that the enforcement of the Act goes against the constitution, even though there was a decision from the Court of Appeal.
LSK’s President, Eric Theuri, has requested the court to prevent government bodies, particularly the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), from gathering taxes outlined in the new laws. He argued that the citizens of Kenya are already grappling with excessive taxation.
The Housing Fund, a component of the Finance Act, has been challenged by the community due to its characterization as both discriminatory and unfavorable to individuals in official employment within Kenya.
“The said housing levy is discriminatory contrary to Article 27 of the Constitution as it only obligates those in formal employment to contribute to the scheme without a corresponding duty on persons in informal employment to contribute yet persons in the informal subsector are the largest population of the scheme,” read part of the petition.
EPRA Chief Summoned for Fuel Tax Issue
