Scrap housing levy, Supkem tells State in new proposals to lower cost of living

 

The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) has asked the government to scrap the Affordable Housing Levy as a step to address the high cost of living.

National chairman Isaac Ole Naado said the State needs to immediately do away with the levy, court cases withstanding.

The suggestion was part of a list of steps that SUPKEM said the government needs to undertake with urgency to reduce the cost of living.

“If the following steps are not taken, Kenyans will not be in a position to take their children to school in January and fend for their families,” Naado said.

Naado said the council wishes that the government would reduce VAT on petroleum products by 50 per cent from 16 per cent to eight per cent.

He added that the Road Maintenance Levy should be reduced by Sh5 per litre from the current Sh18 to Sh13 per litre.

Naado further said the Petroleum Development Levy should be reduced by 50 per cent from the current Sh5 and 40 cents per litre to Sh2 and 70 cents and zero rate VAT on basic food items.

“All of us are now aware that the new turnover tax is very punitive and has virtually led to the closure of very many small and medium enterprises,” he added.

He further said all arms of the government must reduce their travel budgets by 50 per cent and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission review Daily Subsistence Allowances for State and Public Officers with the view of reducing by 30 per cent.

SUPKEM added that grand corruption seems to be getting out of hand, citing the alleged loss of Sh9.3 billion cooking oil.

Naado asked Azimio and Kenya Kwanza leaders to desist from uttering inciting statements when giving their opinions on the National Dialogue Committee report.

He said the country cannot afford to go back to an environment that was characterised by heightened political grandstanding.

“As a council, we endorse the NADCO report because we do not desire to see the country go back to the brink of the abyss that was characterised by loss of life and destruction of property,” he said.

Naado said the talks calmed down the political temperatures in the country and provided a platform for addressing issues that threatened to tear the country apart.

“…. we are strongly asking actors from the two prominent political coalitions to desist from any form of political incitement that may lead to more radicalisation and extreme political positioning at the expense of peace in the country,” he stated.

In a statement, Naado said SUPKEM is confident that the report will open another chapter for Kenya.

He said SUPKEM welcomes a recommendation for the audit of the 2022 elections.

“The Supreme Council would like to see a credible, independent and impartial technical team similar to the 2008 Kriegler Committee established to conduct an honest audit of the 2022 elections so that we bring to closure to the disagreements that have dogged our society since last year,” he added.

He however said they were disappointed that NADCO did not reach a consensus on the issue of cost of living.

BY THE STAR