Former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta has issued a bold response to recent political jabs directed at her family over accusations of tax evasion, saying that if she has defaulted on any taxes, her property should be auctioned.
Mama Ngina spoke out on Saturday while addressing the public at the opening of the Tewa Catholic Church in Mpeketoni, Lamu County, where she spoke out against what she termed pointless politicisation of tax matters.
The former First Lady in addition said tax matters can be addressed through government channels and – if need be – law courts, adding that public rallies have no place in matters of taxation.
“I am surprised to hear some people say that others do not pay taxes. I am shocked because one camp is saying this while the other is saying that but the government has its own system of how things are handled,” Mama Ngina said, as loosely translated from Kiswahili.
“Paying taxes is mandatory for everyone, big or small, they should pay according to their ability and income sources. This is not a matter of discussion in newspapers, public rallies, or on TV. If you do not pay taxes, you go to court. That is the law,” she added.
Mama Ngina went ahead to dare the government to auction her property and belongings in order to settle any perceived debt if it is indeed true that she has not been paying her taxes.
“If you do not pay what you are supposed to pay, your belongings must be auctioned. So there is no need… there is no need to tarnish others’ names so that people can see that you are working, and running the country. No!” Mama Ngina quipped.
“People should be taken to court and forced to pay what they owe in taxes. Even if it is me who has failed to pay taxes for even one year, my property should be auctioned to pay for the taxes. So there is no need for this kind of politics… and people know they aren’t saying the truth, they just want to mention names.”
The former First Lady’s response comes amid growing calls for a tax audit on her family’s tax records and those of the late President Daniel Moi.
