Gem Member of Parliament Elisha Odhiambo has called on the speaker of the national assembly to urgently recall parliament to review taxation on fuel to save Kenyans going through a difficult moment.
Odhiambo said that parliament must revisit the Value Added tax and various taxes that have compounded the fuel prices to enable the country to have a breather.
The legislator faulted transport operators for calling a countrywide strike, saying that they should have instead engaged parliament.
“It is parliament that enacted those laws that increased taxes,” he said.
The Gem MP called on Kenyans to remain peaceful and united, saying that the issue of high fuel prices can only be addressed in a peaceful atmosphere.
Meanwhile, public transport operations in Siaya came to a halt in the morning hours as matatu operators joined their colleagues countrywide on a planned two-day strike.
According to the Siaya Public Service Vehicle (PSV) Union they have been pushed to the wall by the high cost of fuel and other taxes.
This, they said, has left them with no option but to adjust travel fares upward to survive.
The Secretary-General of the Siaya PSV Union, Hillary Omondi, said commuters travelling from Siaya to Nairobi will now pay Sh1,500/= up from Sh1,000, while fares for shorter routes like Siaya to Nyadorera and Ugunja have jumped from Sh150 to Sh200/= and the Siaya-Kodiaga route has increased to Sh250.
The officials, who included the chairman, Gabriel Otieno said travellers to Kisumu will pay Sh 400 from the normal Sh 300.
By Philip Onyango
