Blow to Govt as orders barring housing tax collection upheld

Blow to Govt as orders barring housing tax collection upheld

The government has been dealt a blow after a move to have the housing levy fund matter withdrawn temporarily was turned down.

On Thursday, the court instead extended the orders barring deductions of the 1.5percent levy from a section of Kenyan taxpayers.

Justice Maureen Onyango sent the parties in the suit back to the drawing board for widened consultations.

The court heard that the parties only got urgent calls to appear in court for expediting hearing and conclusion of the case.

They were told that the judge had to inform the parties of the existing two letters from the Office of the Attorney General urging the court to hasten the hearing.

The court however indicated that dealing expeditiously with the matter would not be possible as FKE disowned the purported consent filed by the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU).

It had sought to have the matter withdrawn saying they were never consulted when the consent was being drawn.

COTU’s consent which was the basis of the AG urgent call to have the matter completed has however not adopted by the court.

COTU through its advocate however requested to be given time to consult further on coming up with another consent as they termed Thursday’s mention as an ambush to promptly make a decision.

The matter has been reinstated to its earlier set date for hearing on May 20, 2019.

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COTU Housing tax

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