Njugush calls out Jalang’o over content creators’ tax demands
Top Kenyan comedian and content creator Timothy Kimani, popularly known as Njugush, has disagreed with Jalang’o’s claims that content creators should be taxed more because of their flamboyant lifestyles.
Speaking to Nairobi News, Njugush said the ostentatious lifestyles of content creators should not be confused.
“I heard Jalang’o say that showing our lives online has cost us. But I beg to differ. Living a good life doesn’t mean not paying taxes. We enjoy after we have been taxed,” said Njugush.
This comes just days after the Lang’ata lawmaker posted a video on his YouTube page saying he had no defence for content creators because they were known for their flashy lifestyles.
In the video, Jalang’o named content creators such as Eric Omondi, Mulamwah, Oga Obinna, Natalie Tewa, Vincent Mboya, Mungai Eve, Njugush, Abel Mutua, Nicholas Kioko, Akothee, Amber Ray, the Bahatis and the Wa Jesus family.
Also read: Jalang’o to content creators: Kitawaramba! You brought this problem to yourselves
According to Jalang’o, content creators should not “complain” about the 15 per cent tax proposed in the new Finance Bill 2023 because of their flamboyant lifestyles.
“You people have brought this upon yourselves and I won’t lie to you, the government will not relent. What we need to do is to come together and ask ourselves how much are we willing to pay or how do we tell them that maybe sometimes we are just flossing,” he said.
Njugush, however, maintained that so-called content creators pay their taxes.
“We pay taxes. When you advertise a product, you have to register as a company and you are taxed. That means we spend what is left after we are taxed,” Njugush said.
His sentiments come at a time when the Finance Bill is being debated.
The new bill proposes a 15 per cent withholding tax on income generated from digital content.
This has also received mixed reactions from content creators in the country, with the majority opposing it.
Also read: Digital tax: How show of wealth has landed Kenyan celebs in trouble