MCAs fake disability to evade tax payment

The National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) has raised concern over leaders who are evading paying taxes by importing goods by acquiring disabled cards.

According to the chairman of the council David Sankok, some two nominated Members of County Assembly (MCAs) and one county officer in Siaya County have allegedly imported vehicles using cards for disabled people to evade paying taxes.

Sankok has called on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate two MCAs Rosemary Ogutu, Anastasia Akinyi And Siaya County Officer Bernard Omondi who are alleged to have posed as persons with disabilities to import vehicles.

Dr. Sankok stated that only persons with disabilities have a privilege to tax exemptions and warned that regional officers who are issuing disabled cards that they will be brought to book.

He further said that NCPD will not condone corruption as those involved will have to face the law individually.

Sankok said tax evasion through importation of goods was a new phenomenon that appears to be taking root now.

Reverend Kenneth Wachianga who also represents the disabled, condemned the three leaders for their fraudulent acts, including the doctors who falsified their medical records.

He called on the disbandment of the assessment board adding that the two MCAs should resign from their positions.

In a turn of events, the two county legislators have come out to defend themselves against the accusations leveled against them.

Anastasia Akinyi says that she was involved in a road accident and her tax exemption certificate was recommended by a doctor at Siaya County Referral Hospital after he examined her.

Ogutu on the other hand condemned those saying she faked disability to obtain the tax exemption certificates, adding she has no disability that would cause her go for the document.