Joho: Plan For New Taxes Unstoppable

Mombasa governor Ali Hassan Joho says the bill to effect the proposals will be introduced despite stiff opposition from a section of business community

He said the new levies as contained in the Finance Bill 2014 and 2015 will help fix the problem of infrastructure in the bill

Joho added that those opposed to the new charges were merely playing politics adding that most of the ports in the world were paying taxes to the county governments.

However, the Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry has opposed the bill that requires all importers to pay taxes for all the cargo that pass through the Port of Mombasa

KNCCI said that the move will only scare away local and international investors.

Addressing a news conference last week, the KNCCI Mombasa County chairman James Mureu said the proposals contradict the State Corporation Act ,

He said that all the money collected at the port must be submitted to the national government.

The bill proposes that all importers should pay Ksh 1,740 for export and import clearance permit as well as Ksh 174 per metric tonne for all cargo vessels that call at the port.

Mureu said that the move by the county government is only acceptable if it uses Parliament to push for its interest through the amendment of the State Corporation Act .

He said that if such bill was implemented, most of the businessmen will have no option but to move to other areas.

By Rehema Juma.

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citizentv Mombasa Port. Mombasa County. citizennews Rehema Juma Hassan Joho Finance Bill 20142015

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