Kipkellion East MP Joseph Limo Punished Over CS Matiangi's Betting Law

Interior CS Fred Matiang'i addressing the press after a meeting with Governors on Thursday, February 20, 2020.
Interior CS Fred Matiang'i addressing the press after a meeting with Governors on Thursday, February 20, 2020.
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President Uhuru Kenyatta, on Tuesday, June 30, signed into law the Finance Bill 2020 which dropped the 20% excise duty imposed on betting firms in November 2019.

However, the government soon realised that they were shortchanged into amending the betting law on firms imposed by Interior CS Fred Matiang'i. The CS alongside his Treasury colleague Ukur Yattani announced plans to reintroduce it in Parliament six months later.

The amendment of the law caused an upset in government and the first casualty of the change was the MP who allegedly sneaked in the amendment despite being warned by Yattani. 

Kipkellion East MP Joseph Limo was kicked out as National Assembly Finance Committee Chairperson for overseeing the change which saw the 20% excise duty levied on betting firms scrapped. 

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File image of Kipkelion East MP Joseph Limo
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Limo a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto was de-whipped having narrowly survived Jubilee's purge against politicians aligned with Ruto.

Yattani wrote a letter to the National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya on a number of amendments government was key on implementing, with the excise duty not listed therein.

The changes were an additional tax on helicopters, VAT addition on Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) which was rejected and zero-rating maize and wheat as well as removing VAT on solar panels. 

On Friday, July 3, Matiang'i stated that the law on betting firms will be reintroduced as Kenyatta was adamant.

"All of you need to understand that this is something we made a decision on and our President has publicly expressed his thoughts on it and also lead from the frontline. We are not going back on our decision," Matiang'i proclaimed. 

He further vouched for sanity as betting had almost destroyed families and children.

"We cannot allow criminals and money launderers from abroad to mess with our country," he affirmed.

Yattani had earlier on lamented that betting activities in the country have adversely affected the social fabric of society, particularly the youth. The CS blamed the committee for sneaking in the changes. 

"As noted in the print media, the excise duty was removed through the Finance Act, 2020. The removal of this tax happened during the Committee Stage of the Bill," an excerpt of Yattani's statement read. 

Punters were hopeful over the likely return of popular sports betting firms, Sportpesa and Betin which closed shop in September 2019.  

File image of Sportpesa CEO Ronald Karauri
File image of Sportpesa CEO Ronald Karauri
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