Laws set for review to end double taxation: DP Gachagua assures Kenyans in diaspora
DP Rigathi Gachagua (right) signs an agreement with Java Coffee Company officials in Belgium to buy coffee directly from Kenyan farmers.
The government will review laws to ensure Kenyans in the diaspora are not taxed double when sending money home, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said.
He said that Kenyans living abroad play a crucial role in building the economy but have been hit hard after being taxed by their motherland as well as in the countries they live in.
The DP spoke on Friday evening at Bayerischer Hof Hotel in Munich when he met Kenyans residing in Germany.
“I want to assure you that various laws are being looked into and a comprehensive review is being undertaken by the National Treasury in conjunction with Kenya Revenue Authority. The aim is to get a win-win situation on the issue where you are taxed in Germany and also when you send money to Kenya. It doesn’t make sense,” said Mr Gachagua.
The DP said that the issue of double taxation has been a thorn in the flesh for Kenyans living abroad. He said the matter was a key topic during his tour of Brussels, Germany, Rome, Colombia, Angola and South Africa.
“One way to get Kenyans in the diaspora to participate in our country’s development is to address the issue of double taxation. I want to assure you that the government is settling the matter with the National Treasury, KRA and State Department of Diaspora,” Mr Gachagua added.
The DP has been out of the country since Tuesday last week.
He started his tour in Belgium where he represented President William Ruto at the Global Gateway Forum hosted by the European Commission.
The forum provided a platform for Kenya and other EU partners to strengthen ties in crucial sectors like transport, healthcare, education, digital innovation and green energy.
Before departing for Germany on Thursday, the DP met Kenyans living in Belgium at Tangla Hotel in Brussels. Mr Gachagua noted that Kenya and Germany have had historical ties since 1963 when the country got its independence.
“Germany was the first country to consider Kenya as a free state. I want to thank the German Government for being hospitable to Kenyans,” he said.
