NAIROBI, Kenya, May 23 – President William Ruto on Tuesday chaired a Kenya Kwanza Parliamentary Group meeting at State House Nairobi.
Among those attending the meeting include Members of Parliament, Cabinet Secretaries and other government officials.
The Parliamentary Group meeting comes when the Senate is set to resume sittings after a three-week recess while the National Assembly is still in recess and is expected to resume sittings on June 6.
Among the critical agendas that were canvassed include the upcoming budget legislation debates in Parliament.
This includes the Finance Bill 2023 which has elicited mixed reactions from the political circles and government stakeholders.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga had threatened mass protests against the proposed high taxes on fuel and other commodities.
The Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition leader said “Kenyans are too overburdened with a high cost of living and can not afford more.”
He is particularly against the proposed 16 percent Value Added Tax on fuel, and the housing fund by the Kenya Kwanza government.
He said if the proposed taxes in the Finance Bill sail through in Parliament, he will rally Kenyans to the streets.
“Finally, we make it clear that if this Bill is railroaded through Parliament, Kenya Kwanza must prepare that we will have no option but to mobilize citizens around the country to fight for themselves,” Odinga told a news conference Tuesday.
He faulted the chest-thumping of the Kenya Kwanza top leadership that the Bill must pass in the National Assembly.
He questioned why the top leadership of the Kenya Kwanza regime in Parliament and the Executive has pronounced themselves on the matter yet the Bill was yet to undergo public participation.
The Opposition leader termed the taunted public participation in the Finance Bill as a charade aimed at hoodwinking Kenyans.
“It is clear the so-called public participation being invited is a mere charade and a gimmick to give Kenyans false hope before they are hit with the Tsunami of taxes beginning July,” said Odinga.
South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro has promised that the Kenya Kwanza legislators will pass the Finance Bill 2023 without amendments.
Osoro who is also the National Assembly Majority Whip assured President William Ruto that “the government cannot lose”.
“With the fact that the government does not lose, I want to assure you (President William Ruto) that even the Finance Bill will pass,” he said.
