Langa’ata MP Phelix Odiwuor aka Jalang’o has blamed content creators for the 15% tax that the government wants to impose on their income.
Jalang’o, who is supposed to face a panel on the matter, said that it will be difficult for him to convince them(the panel) that content creators don’t have money or that they are unable to pay the proposed tax. This is because content creators have been flaunting bundles of cash, expensive vehicles and residences. Aside from that, content creators also have several brand endorsements, they go on expensive trips as others flaunt huge mansions that they are constructing.
“Here is in my take on how you people got yourselves to this mess. How do I convince the government or people who don’t understand content creation that you don’t have money and you are not able to pay the 15% tax when what you show out there is that you are millionaires,” he wondered.
According to him, he was taken through pages of content creators and what is displayed doesn’t justify their protests on the 15% tax.
Some of the content creators that Jalang’o and the panel checked include; Eric Omondi, who is leading protests against the tax, Oga Obinna, Amber Ray who spends approximately Kshs300,00 a day, Eve Mungai, Nicholas Kioko, Sammy Kioko, Vincent Mboya, Mulamwah, Natalie Tewa, Akothee among others.
“Do you know how long it will cost a teacher who is being taxed to save to ever buy that Touareg?” Jalang’o posed while addressing Oga Obinna’s case. Obinna gifted himself a Volkswagen Touareg that costs about Kshs7 million to celebrate his 33rd birthday. Jalang’o however said that maybe Obinna also makes money from elsewhere and not content creation.
Jalang’o further said that the government is not going to relent on the proposed taxation. He advised that content creators should now think of how much they are willing to give the government.
“How do I convince the panel that I am supposed to face today that you people don’t have money. You people brought this problem to yourself. I won’t lie to you the government is not going to relent. What we need to do is to now come up what are we willing to pay or how do we tell them that sometimes we are just flossing. How do we show them and tell them that Njugush had just build a house and he is not able to pay taxes and he just had a sold out show the other say at KICC, sitting capacity of 4,000 people,” the lawmaker said.
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