Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has been given the go-ahead to auction Kenya Power transformers.
The auction is associated with delays by Kenya Power to clear taxes for the import of the transformers and warehouse charges.
KRA gave Kenya Power until August 12, 2021, to ensure all taxes are cleared failure to which the auction will commence.
“Unless the under-mentioned goods are entered and removed from the Customs Warehouse within thirty (30) days from the date of this notice, they will be sold by public auction on August 12, 2021,” KRA stated.
The taxman has been aggressive in ensuring all entities in Kenya pay their dues on time. Last week Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Opranya pleaded with the National Treasury to intervene and solve a tax standoff.
He lamented that the Kenya Ports Authority had declined to release life-saving machines over a huge accrued tax bill.
According to the former Chairperson of the National Council of Governors, the taxman is demanding Kshs 8 million before the new machine is released.
The machine in question is a new 1000 litre per minute oxygen plant that Kakamega county had acquired.
The contractor who was contracted to acquire the oxygen plant is unable to pay the tax which has forced Oparanya to seek help from the National Government.
“I call upon the National Treasury to intervene and assist my Government to get the new 1,000 litres per minute capacity oxygen plant which is being held at Mombasa Port over taxes. KRA wants Sh 8 million tax from the contractor yet he is unable to pay the amount,” Oparanya wrote on his social media page.
Oparanya who also doubles up as the ODM party leader has called on the Ministry of Health to intervene so that the machine can be cleared at the port.
He insisted that the plant is critical in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and should be installed to help the people from Kakamega county
“I appeal to the Ministry of Health to assist and enable the plant be cleared at the Port and installed to save lives during this Covid-19 pandemic. I urge the Government not to impose heavy taxes on equipment that are critical to saving lives,” Oparanya noted.
