National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula on Wednesday challenged MPs to contest the Finance Bill, 2024 in Parliament instead of complaining to Kenyans in public forums.
Wetangula was speaking at a funeral service in Bungoma County, where he castigated politicians for using such forums to air their opinions instead of operating in the best interests of Kenyans.
The Speaker opined that the legislators had the power to ensure that Kenyans’ were well represented by how they vote on the floor of the house.
He further challenged MPs to avoid debating the bill in such forums, without harbouring any intentions of taking any action on the same.
“I am asking our MPs to save the public from the agony of crying that the Finance Bill, 2024 is bad. You are the ones who pass bills. Come to Parliament and do the right thing for the people of Kenya,” stated Wetangula
Wetangula also noted that the MPs are the drafters of the bill through the Budget Committee arguing that unlike Kenyans, they have a forum where they can get their voices heard.
“The people of Kenya are dependent on you because they elected you,” Wetangula stated.
Wetangula’s sentiments came at a time when the provisions of the Finance Bill, 2024 had attracted criticism from Kenyans across the board over the proposed increase in multiple sets of taxes.
Some of the contested proposals in the Finance Bill included payment of an annual motor vehicle tax requiring Kenyans to part with Ksh 5,000 - Ksh100,000 depending on the value of the car.
Besides the actual provisions, Kenyans were also enraged by some statements made by some MPs backing the Bill.
For instance, sentiments by National Assembly Finance Chairperson and Molo MP Francis Kuria who described the motor vehicle tax as “a hybrid of income and wealth tax” attracted the wrath of Kenyans.
He further added that Kenyans unwilling to pay the tax should avoid using their cars.
"If you don’t want to pay the motor vehicle circulation tax, then don’t use the car, like how you don’t use the expressway if you don’t want to pay for it,” he said.
