Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has publicly dismissed claims that the government is planning to impose Value Added Tax (VAT) on essential commodities like bread, milk, and maize flour in the 2025 Finance Bill. He also labelled as false the bizarre rumour that newborn babies would be taxed under the new proposals.
Highlights:
- Mbadi says there are no plans to introduce VAT on essential foods like bread, milk, and unga.
- The CS also debunked viral claims of a so-called “baby tax.”
- He accused opposition leaders of spreading falsehoods for political gain.
- Kenyans urged to read the actual Finance Bill and not rely on social media rumours.
Main Story
Treasury CS John Mbadi has made it clear that the government has no intention of taxing basic food items in the 2025 Finance Bill. This includes bread, milk, and maize flour—all of which will maintain their current tax-exempt status. “These products remain untaxed under the current bill before Parliament,” he confirmed.
Among the more outlandish rumours circulating was the claim that the government planned to introduce a tax targeting newborn babies. Mbadi dismissed this entirely, saying, “There is no provision in the Finance Bill that speaks to such a thing. It’s pure propaganda.”
According to Mbadi, these misleading claims have been strategically circulated by political opponents of the Kenya Kwanza administration. He accused them of using social media platforms to provoke public outrage by misrepresenting the contents of the Finance Bill.
Mbadi encouraged Kenyans to examine the Finance Bill for themselves rather than relying on online hearsay. He emphasized the importance of public discourse being based on facts, especially when dealing with national policies affecting millions.
As Kenya debates the 2025 Finance Bill, one thing is clear—facts must lead the conversation, not Facebook forwards.
