Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG)-Kenya General Secretary Dr. Richard Obwogi has dismissed a petition filed by a Nakuru based doctor calling for taxation on offerings and tithes stating that that would not be accepted
Speaking in Amalemba, Kakamega County on Sunday, the official stated that it would be unfair to tax offerings and tithes asking those seeking to tax churches to get those taxes from heaven.
“Offering is not taxed, we will not accept that. If you want to tax it, make a request in heaven,’ he stated.
While speaking during a meeting bringing together over 60 churches from across the nation, Dr Obwogi stated that individual congregants were getting taxed and there was no need to tax offerings.
“There is somebody somewhere, who is pushing that churches pay taxes, protect your faith brother. What you are saying is that churches get taxed, individual congregants are already getting taxed,” he added.
Obwogi further argued that it was not prudent to tax offerings and tithes, describing them as sacrifices made by people seeking to secure blessings from the altar.
“People bring their problems to the altar. If you start taxing sacrifices now you will be crossing the line,” he reiterated
He further advised courts not to be politically influenced but stick to justice and called on the government to obey court orders.
At the beginning of the year, a Nakuru-based doctor, Magare Gikenyi, filed a suit at the High Court in Nairobi which sought for tithes, offerings, and donations in places of worship to be taxed.
"The public finance system shall promote an equitable society, and in particular the burden of taxation shall be shared fairly," read part of the suit.
The petitioner questioned why the Income Tax Act provides tax exemptions to a class of people, hence contravening the same law that dictates fairness in the remittance of taxes.
Dr. Obwogi also commented on the contentious issue about blessing same gender couples which had elicited discussions especially in the Catholic Church stating that such would not be acceptable. By , Kenyans.co.ke