Kipkellion East MP Joseph Limo has been punished for messing up with the law that was introduced by Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i.

The lawmaker was kicked out as National Assembly Finance Committee Chairperson for overseeing the change which saw the 20% excise duty levied on betting firms scrapped. 

Limo a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto was de-whipped having narrowly survived Jubilee’s purge against politicians aligned with Ruto.

Yattani wrote a letter to the National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya on a number of amendments government was key on implementing, with the excise duty not listed therein.

The listed changes were an additional tax on helicopters, Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) which was rejected and zero-rating maize and wheat as well as removing VAT on solar panels. 

President Uhuru Kenyatta, on Tuesday, June 30, signed into law the Finance bill 2020 which dropped the 20% tax on betting.

On Friday, July 3, Matiang’i stated that the law on betting firms will be reintroduced as Kenyatta was adamant.

“All of you need to understand that this is something we made a decision on and our President has publicly expressed his thoughts on it and also lead from the frontline. We are not going back on our decision,” Matiang’i proclaimed. 

He further vouched for sanity as betting had almost destroyed families and children.

“We cannot allow criminals and money launderers from abroad to mess with our country,” he affirmed.

Yattani had earlier on lamented that betting activities in the country have adversely affected the social fabric of society, particularly the youth. The CS blamed the committee for sneaking in the changes. 

“As noted in the print media, the excise duty was removed through the Finance Act, 2020. The removal of this tax happened during the Committee Stage of the Bill,” an excerpt of Yattani’s statement read.