A section of legislators has vowed to reject the President Uhuru Kenyatta’s decision to cut the VAT on petroleum products from 16 percent to 8 percent to ease the tax burden Kenyans.
According to The Standard, some MPs have planned to rally more than 2/3 of their counterparts to pass the bill as it is.
If they succeed, the Bill will automatically become Law after 14 days, whether the president signs it or not, consequently pushing forward the implementation of the 16% VAT on petroleum products to 2020.
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has called for a special sitting on Tuesday, 18th September 2018 to discuss the finance bill rejected by the President.
Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr stated that under the constitution, they will need a supermajority of 246 members to overturn the president’s decision.
"No legislator would want to be seen not to side with the people, we will draw a list of shame," declared Nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi.
"Those who will not attend and those who will side with the government will be paraded for Kenyans to see and know the real enemies of the common mwananchi," he added.
On his part, Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter indicated that the issue of fuel was a national crisis that required a bipartisan approach.
"I urge the leadership to convene an informal meeting for us to discuss this matter before it is brought to the plenary," Keter stated.
By sending the Tax Bill back to Parliament, Uhuru recommended several austerity measures including reducing government expenditure on non-essential services such as hospitality and scaling down local and international travel.
