President Uhuru to address the nation today over the fuel tax

 

President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to address the nation today over the controversial 16 percent fuel tax that was recently implemented.

Pressure has been mounting on President Kenyatta to assent to the Bill which will prevent an escalation in fuel prices as well as the cost of living.

The new tax on petroleum products came into effect on September 1 with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) releasing new fuel prices reflecting the 16 percent VAT.

consumers continue to bare the brunt of the fuel tax despite a court order temporarily barring its enforcement and the pending decision by the president.

 

 

On Thursday, as he announced changes in the police force, Kenyans also expected him to make his position known in regards to the fuel tax.

However, it later emerged that that Parliament had not even presented to the Finance Bill to him so his hands “were tied.”

It is only on Thursday evening that State House confirmed that the Bill was now in the hands of the President.

“The Speaker of the National Assembly yesterday, delivered the vellum on the financial bill (National Assembly Bill no.20 of 2018) for consideration by the President,” said Kanze Dena in a statement to newsrooms.

The decision that the President has made or will make over the fuel tax issue still remains unclear even as the country anticipates his address later on Friday.

The implementation of the fuel tax as directed by Treasury CS Henry Rotich on September 1 caused public uproar with a section of Kenyans seeking the intervention of the courts to suspend it.

New prices saw Nairobi motorists forced to cough up Ksh.127.80 and Mombasa Ksh.124.49 for super petrol .

The highest price for super petrol was announced for Mandera at Ksh.141.61. Diesel prices were hiked to Ksh.115.08 while a litre of Kerosene now costs Ksh97.41 in Nairobi.

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