People can’t believe helicopters are imported into Kenya tax free
Kenyans on Twitter were ungovernable following revelation that all helicopters imported into the country are not taxed.
The Value Added Tax Act of 2014 exempts taxes on “Helicopters of an unladen weight not exceeding 2,000 kg” and “Helicopters of an unladen weight exceeding 2,000 kg”.
The unladen weight of any aircraft is the weight when it is not carrying any passengers, goods or other items.
It includes the body and all parts normally used with the aircraft when it is used.
Essentially, by exempting from taxes helicopters “not exceeding” and those “exceeding” 2,000kg, makes all helicopters tax exempt.
According to The Star newspaper, at least 59 newly imported helicopters have been issued with operating licenses by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority over the last two years alone.
The revelation was made by Vinie O
Kenya's Tax exemption on Helicopters (some).This explains the high number of choppers being bought/acquired ? pic.twitter.com/TSLjSrKoM0
— Captain Ozwald (❤️) (@VinieO) August 15, 2016
Then things went downhill
I need my grandma's specs to read this smh!
Tax exempt no wonder they have become the latest toy for Governors https://t.co/cMRd3sWKTM— njoki waikinda (@Jankabs) August 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/TonyOmbara/status/765071936368025600
Nobody could comprehend
Helicopters are tax exempt and farming inputs are not? But why?
— Kenyan Facts ?? (@KResearcher) August 15, 2016
Then the comparisons
.@VinieO So they exempt helis from tax but are taxing medicine and medical equipment, things that actually do matter to Kenyans?
— Aganya Musalia (@the_trifector) August 15, 2016
But they'll tax you for importing mutumba https://t.co/9jZnAAIGiY
— Realtor (@machaarh) August 15, 2016
Then the blame game
The only surprise is that no one picked it up. We tax books & medicine on the other hand @the_trifector @waweru @VinieO @KRACare
— Monsieur the Marquis (@edowino) August 15, 2016
People could still not believe it
I had to sip another coffee and reread this again…. You mean those helis rich politicians use to travel are tax exempt? ?
— Femme actuelle ✨? (@zippoglisia) August 15, 2016
