Temporary Relief As High Court Issues Orders Against 16% Fuel Tax

The High Court sitting in Bungoma has issued temporary orders stopping the 16% VAT tax on fuel. Justice Stephen Riechi has ordered that the matter be mentioned in the Kisumu High Court on September 12.

The petition was filed by a group of youth who claimed that Treasury CS Henry Rotich contravened the constitution and especially the Bill of rights. He ordered that the Energy Regulations Commission and the Treasury CS should bring down the prices to the earlier rates.

According to the lead lawyer in the case Kennedy Amondi, the fuel cost should immediately go back to the prices that were there before September 1.

The government therefore will have no choice but to obey the court orders as the High court in Bungoma has jurisdiction over constitutional matters.

The court in Nairobi had declined to rule on the matter which had been filed by activist Okiya Omtatah and COTU.

Read:Motorists To Pay More For Fuel As Petrol Prices Go Up

There has been an outcry from the general Public saying that the increase would grossly affect the cost of living.

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