The bill was due to come up for the first reading in Parliament. KAHC (through KTF) had engaged the firm of PKF to prepare and submit a Lobby Paper to Treasury detailing the adverse impacts of this Bill on the Tourism Sector. Unfortunately, none of the proposals made by several sectors were considered or accepted.

PKF subsequently organised for a Retreat with Members of Parliament, which took place in Naivasha on Thursday 26th July 2012. The purpose of the retreat was to highlight the adverse aspects of the Bill and to raise alarm over the potential effects of the VAT Bill 2012.

The Naivasha Retreat was very well attended by several MP’s from across the political divide and after a presentation by PKF; they were largely unanimous that the VAT 2012 Bill was untenable to key sectors such as Agriculture, Tourism and Direct Foreign Investment.

Subsequent meetings were organised to further discuss the adverse effects of the Bill and call for its amendments and one such meeting was held between PKF and the Speaker of the National Assembly.

We led a delegation from the Aviation and Tourism sectors to meet with H.E the Vice-President Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka to expound the issues of concern and on the same day the bill was withdrawn from the House and will now be subject to further consultations with the stakeholders.