MPs converged on Tuesday, June 20, to vote on amendments proposed on the Finance Bill (2023) on its third and final reading.
The Finance Bill passed resoundingly on its second reading on Wednesday, June 14, after 176 MPs voted in its favour against 81.
In the third reading currently underway, MPs will vote on the amendments proposed by the Parliamentary Finance and Planning Committee.
Kenyans.co.ke is keeping you updated on a minute-by-minute basis. Keep refreshing this page for updates.
17:58 Electronic systems in parliament fails making MPs resort to physical voting.
17:52 Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei accuses John Mbadi of trying to sabotage the electronic voting procedure.
17:40 Suna North MP Junet Mohammed proposes members to vote physically for the fuel Value Added Tax and Housing Fund Tax.
17:30: MPs start debating clauses 2, 24, 33, 34, 36, 43, 76, 78 of the Finance Bill 2023.
17:22 Members of the National Assembly start formally debating the Finance Bill 2023. Kuria Kimani, Chairperson of the Finance Committee proposes the amendment to the Income Tax clause.
17:13 Speaker Wetangula rules that MPs will be allowed to prosecute clauses in the Finance Bill 2023, that attracted the highest number of proposals for amendment.
16:52 Kimani Ichungw'ah accuses the opposition led by Opiyo Wandayi of filibustering. A deliberate action designed to prolong debate and delay voting.
16:29 National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungw'ah pursuant to the provisions of Standing Orders 33A proposes that the parliament not be adjourned until the conclusion of the debate on Finance Bill 2023. Junet Mohammed seconds the proposal.
16:00 National Assembly Moses Wetangula answering concern raised by Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo rules that it was within the law to have the Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung'u read the 2023/2024 financial budget on Thursday, June 15, a week before the Finance Bill 2023 was subjected to its final reading.
15:53 Suna North MP Junet Mohammed remarks that the government has allocated unrealistic huge sums of money to projects. Wetangula rules that Junet is pessimistic while the government is optimistic.
15:40 National Assembly Kimani Ichungw'ah states that President William Ruto's government will not undertake any new road infrastructural project for the 2023/2024 financial year.
15:35 National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi opposing the Appropriation Bill notes that it will be hard for the government to raise money to finance the 2023/2024 budget and hence many ongoing projects will stall.
15:30 Nominated MP John Mbadi remarks that Kenya Kwanza overreached itself by proposing a Ksh3.6 trillion budget for the financial year 2023/2024.
"The financing of this budget is going to be a challenge. The government is deluding itself that we can raise ordinary revenue from Ksh1.9 trillion to Ksh2.5 trillion. This is unrealistic, ambitious and likely to fail," he surmised.
3:00 pm: Second reading of the Appropriation Bill, 2023, by the Chairperson, Budget and Appropriations Committee Ndindi Nyoro.
2:40 pm: Wetangula reads two Bills that were passed in the Senate; the First reading of the County Allocation Revenue Bill, 2023 and the First Reading of the Equalisation Fund Appropriation Bill, 2023.
2:35 pm: National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula calls the house to order and confirms that he has a quorum to discuss house matters.
Moses Wetangula bars MPs from debating Bills passed in the Senate.
2:25 pm: MPs arrive in Parliament, ready to debate the Bill.
While Ruto marshalled Kenya Kwanza to support the bill unanimously. Raila, however, through Azimio La Umoja minority leader, Opiyo Wandayi, presented 10 proposals they wanted to be considered before the Bill is ascended.
Among them was the non-doubling of the value-added tax on petroleum products, which Ruto wants to be increased from eight to sixteen per cent.
Azimio also planned to contest the sixteen per cent fuel VAT, challenge the proposal to exempt aircraft importers from paying the 16 per cent Valued Added Tax (VAT) while scrapping the 3.5 per cent import declaration fee (IDF) and the two per cent Railway Development Levy (RDL).
The opposition also wants to amend the section of the Bill re-introducing VAT on chopper importation and oppose the 1.5 per cent housing tax.
