Atheists in Kenya have written a tough letter to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), demanding that Kenyan churches should be forced to pay taxes and their status as non-profit bodies reviewed.
The leader of the Atheists in Kenya Society, Harrison Mumia, argued that churches have been unfairly favoured by being exempted from taxation even though they receive huge amounts of money through donations and offerings.
“Where does the money from donations to churches go? Kenyan taxpayers are constantly complaining about the high rate of taxation for Kenyans. We see no valid reason why churches should be tax exempt,” Mumia stated in a letter to KRA Commissioner General John Njiraini.
The atheists have further argued that churches should not be included in the list of non-profit organizations claiming that the categorisation is denying the country a major source of revenue.
Mumia concluded by noting that the money received by churches would go along way in providing critical amenities to Kenyans.
The Atheists in Kenya Society has in the past year become a subject of numerous controversies.
In April, the Office of the Attorney General was forced to suspend the registration of the controversial society after pressure from religious groups.
In October, the secular group demanded the removal of the word 'God' from Kenya’s national anthem, arguing that the word was not representative of Kenyans who do not believe in God.
