Molo Member of Parliament Kimani Kuria has revealed that the public will have the option of giving their views on the 2025/2026 Finance Bill through WhatsApp.
Speaking during an interview with NTV on Tuesday, April 8, the MP, who is the National Assembly Finance Committee Chair, said that after the bill is tabled in Parliament and proceeds to public participation, the government will provide WhatsApp numbers that the public can use to provide their feedback.
Kuria assured that the new method would provide efficiency for those with busy work schedules who may not find time to attend physical public participation meetings.
However, Kuria emphasized that the public should still make use of other traditional platforms, including emails, letters, and attending participation meetings.
"We also understand that there are changes in technology, and people are busy, so this time we will be providing easier ways of communication, not just through the traditional emails or letters that we ask you to send to the National Assembly. We will be providing WhatsApp numbers to monitor the conversation we have on social media," he said.
Furthermore, Kuria emphasized the need for the public to thoroughly scrutinize the bill, which is expected to be tabled before the National Assembly at the end of this month, before deciding to reject or accept it.
"We are encouraging you, please get informed. Before you say 'reject,' go to the bill and find out which specific clause you find offensive and how we could even make it better, because the essence of this particular piece of legislation is not to punish anyone," he said.
In the past few weeks, the Finance Bill 2025/2026 has already started sparking waves of controversy in the country.
Tax experts are already raising concerns over the government's plan to finance the proposed Ksh4.26 trillion budget for the 2025/26 financial year, which is higher than the current Ksh3.6 trillion budget, largely through tax revenues from Kenyans.
According to Economists and the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO), the proposed budget will aggravate the divide between rising taxes, stagnant wages, and the neglect of critical sectors in the country
However, speaking at the launch of the Electronic Government Procurement system in Nairobi, on Monday, April 8, the Treasury Cabinet Secretary, John Mbadi, dismissed reports that have been making rounds on social media platforms and media outlets claiming that the government had approved the Finance Bill 2025.
According to Mbadi, the government has not yet finalised the budgeting process, and the treasury is still assessing proposals from various stakeholders.
"I do not like negatively responding to the media because they help keep us in check. I want to state that we have not concluded the budget process, and I want to inform you that we are looking at the proposals from various sectors as we speak,'' he said.
