Treasury CS Rotich breaks silence on Kenya’s fuel crisis
CS Rotich finally speaks on fuel crisis
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Rotich on Thursday afternoon said a solution to standoff precipitated by the 16 per cent VAT on fuel will be found soon.
The CS said this as he went into a closed door high level meeting as he met the House leadership led by National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.
Among those who were in the meeting included Muturi, Attorney General Kihara Kariuki, CS Rotich, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, MP Kimani Ichung’wa who chairs the Budget Committee in the National Assembly, among others.
Heavy criticism
CS Rotich has come under heavy criticism for not exercising his powers to suspend the introduction of the new tax pending the President’s assent of the Finance Bill, 2018 with a section of leaders calling for his impeachment over the raging fuel crisis.
A team of MPs earlier this week led by Mathare legislator Anthony Oluoch gave Rotich a 72-hour ultimatum to reverse the taxes failure to which, they would call for mass action by Kenyans to protest the high fuel prices and institute proceedings to kick out the Treasury CS.
“We are invoking our sovereignty now under Article 1 of the constitution and saying that if you do not withdraw this directive, we will mobilise the people of Kenya in their numbers to come to the streets to demonstrate and we will institute proceedings for your removal,” Oluoch said.
Treasury in collaboration with Kenya Revenue Authority and the Energy Regulatory Commission rolled out the taxes this week, leading to a sharp increase in fuel prices and sparking massive outrage.
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