KIMEUMANA. BAD NEWS TO THOSE WHO TOOK HUDUMA NUMBER

Every Kenyan with a Huduma Namba will automatically be registered as a taxpayer upon attaining 18 years of age, a new bill proposes.

Huduma Bill 2021 states that the Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner General will activate tax obligations of every individual once they turn 18 years.

“Every resident individual who has enrolled into the National Integrated Identity Management System…shall by default be a registered taxpayer upon attain the age of eighteen years,” the bill reads in part.

Therefore, on completion of their initial enrolment into the Huduma Namba platform, persons above 18 years and not registered as a taxpayer will automatically face tax obligations.

“The Huduma Namba assigned to an individual under the Huduma Act, 2021, shall serve as PIN for the purposes of tax law,” the bill reads.

Presently, persons are registered as taxpayers only upon obtaining a tax Personal Identification Number (PIN).

The bill further provides that a refugee would be eligible to be assigned with a Huduma Namba and be issued with a Huduma card.

The proposed law further states that a Huduma Namba issued to an individual will also be used to access any service under the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).

The bill repeals the Births and Deaths Registration Act, the Registration of Persons Act, and Kenya Citizens and Foreign Nationals Management Service Act, 2011.

“An identity card issued under the Registration of Persons Act (now repealed) shall continue to be valid up to such time as the Cabinet Secretary may by notice in the Gazette specify,” the bill reads, saying the same of passports and travel documents.

IEBC would also be able to use information in the NIIMS database to compile, maintain, revise, and update voters’ register.

“The commission may utilise the information in the NIIMS database for the purpose of conducting an audit of the register,” the law states.

In the proposed changes, details of marriage would also be fed into the system once a marriage is registered or annulled.

“A NIIMS officer shall cause the certificate of marriage or decree of annulment of marriage to be accessible by parties under the NIIMS database.”

Courtesy The Star Kenya