Nairobi News

Hustle

Twitter fury as KRA orders deduction for Jubilee housing project


A directive by Housing ministry and the Kenya Revenue Authority ordering employers to start making deductions for the housing fund levy starting April has caused an uproar on Twitter.

In a notice carried in local newspapers, employers and employees shall each contribute 1.5 per cent of the employees monthly basic salary, provided that the sum of the total monthly contributions shall not exceed five thousand shillings.

“The employers are required to deduct and remit the levy together with the statutory levies from both the employer and employee by the 9 of each succeeding month together with other payroll statutory deductions. The first contribution shall be due by 9 May 2019,” read the statement.

The fund shall be used to finance the affordable housing scheme under the Big 4 agenda.

Kenyans on Twitter are angry because of being forced to incur more deductions from salaries that are already low.

“I feel conned by my govt. After all these taxes we pay!” tweeted @GNWafula.

“This is fraud! Such schemes need to be voluntary. What of people who are already servicing mortgages?” asked @mosekan.

“Has anyone gone to court to stop this?! We need to resist,” wrote @kaptenMwendwa.

“We have to refuse, this is not fair at all, they can’t force the levy upon us. Govt has to look for other ways of raising resources for the project,” commented @jnwalumbe.

“The responsibility of stopping this lies with every Kenyan who feels aggrieved,” stated @MulliKasiva.

“I can’t seem to understand why this government is hell bend on Killing us,” said @Lazooj.

“Sasa kasalary mimi hakanitoshi then ikatwe tena?” asked @itskelvinmuthui.